Family Systems Therapy to create the
therapeutic technique that best suits the
individual.
Leigh-Anne’s personal experiences
have given her empathy. According to
Enid R. Spitz in an online article for
heartmanity.com, there are three types
of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and
compassionate. Cognitive “connects
on an intellectual level.” Emotional
“involves directly feeling the emotions
that another person is feeling.” And
compassionate empathy is “the balance
between the two.”
Cognitive empathy offers an
intellectual answer with fixing the
problem in mind. Emotional empathy
feels what the other person is going
through. By itself, this type of empathy
will sometimes do more damage than
good by enabling repeated cycles
of emotional distress. Leigh-Anne
works to empower those she serves to
recover their true selves and live free by
maintaining the fine balance between
the two.
Referrals come from many places
including schools, pediatricians,
doctors’ offices, and occasionally from
the court system. Leigh-Anne White
and Company works weekly with five
different schools in our area. No referral
is needed to make an appointment, and
most insurances are accepted. “We don't
exclude,” said Leigh-Anne. “If someone
doesn’t have insurance, we work out
payments based on financial means.”
Counseling isn’t just for those with
emotional and/or physical trauma.
There are times when the perspective of
someone outside of family and friends
is needed. Truth be told, we could all use
an outside voice of wisdom from time
to time. In an article entitled “8 More
Reasons to Go to Therapy” by Ryan
Howes PhD, ABPP for psychologytoday.
com, Howes writes, “Therapy is unique
in that it acts as the psychological
equivalent of both the M.D. and the
gym. We go to therapy to treat problems
as well as improve an already decent
life.”
Several pieces of artwork from
the young men Leigh-Anne taught at
PAYH hang throughout her office. As
important as the words she brings to
her clients, it is sometimes the art a
client creates that connects him/her to
the healing process. I sometimes wonder
what would happen if we began each day
like God. Okay, maybe we can’t paint
a new sky every morning, but we can
color. We can draw. It’s a great place to
start the healing journey.
“We don’t have to do all of it alone.
We were never meant to,” writes author
Brené Brown. The journey is one Leigh-
Anne has traveled herself. And she’s
given her life to make that journey with
anyone who finds himself or herself in
need of words of wisdom balanced with
a heart of compassionate empathy.
106 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE
ABOVE Leigh-Anne at her
office in Vidalia.
BELOW Leigh-Anne's associate,
Maggie Hoffman, is a licensed
marriage and family therapist.
For more information, visit: lawhite.net
/heartmanity.com
/lawhite.net