Hello & Welcome! I’m Cecilia, a Licensed Master Social Worker offering bilingual individual and relationship therapy (English, Spanish, or both). I offer in-person sessions in Atlanta and virtual sessions throughout Georgia.
Prior to pursuing a career in mental health, I spent a decade working as a performing artist across multiple mediums and various cities, making me uniquely suited to walk alongside those pursuing a creative life. Additionally, I grew up in a bilingual, Latine household (parents are from Argentina and Cuba), providing a well of authentic empathy and foundational lived experience in my areas of interest.
Offering a safe and affirming space built on genuine connection, I strive to provide a soft place to land for clients to process, reflect, question, and heal. My therapeutic style integrates an empowering and holistic approach with aligned, values-driven behavioral techniques. My framework is rooted in Relational-Cultural Therapy, centering the therapeutic relationship, the impact of healthy relationships on growth, and the role of culture, power dynamics, and societal factors on mental health. I’m also influenced by Psychodynamic Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). My approach is warm, collaborative, direct, and honest, led by curiosity, compassion, and often humor.
I enjoy working with a range of concerns and populations, holding a special interest in working with artists and creatives, “third-culture kids,” multicultural relationships, adult children of immigrants, identity exploration and development, trauma, self-worth, the LGBTQ+ community, and relational conflict.
I’m currently supervised by Erika Pluhar, PhD, EdS, LMFT, LPC, CST-S.
Cecilia Leal, LMSW | The Connection Institute