Leah Glucksman, LMSW

I’m Leah, an LMSW who works with children, teens, young adults, and families. I started my career in public relations, but realized I wasn’t making the kind of impact in the world that I wanted to. That’s what pushed me toward social work.

Creating a safe, judgment-free space is one of my biggest priorities, and I think people feel comfortable with me pretty quickly. I check in often with my clients and follow their lead, being in tune with what they need in that moment.

When someone shares something they’re embarrassed or ashamed of, I don’t just tell them it’s okay, I respond in a way that shows I actually understand why they feel that way.

People can tell the difference between hearing ‘that’s normal’ and being met with real understanding, and that’s what builds trust.

I can sit in a conversation that’s light and funny just as easily as one that’s heavy and serious, moving between the two the way real conversations actually do. A reality TV tangent can turn into something meaningful without it feeling forced, and a hard moment can ease into something lighter without dismissing what just happened. That flexibility is how I work with everyone, but it’s especially important with teenagers.

A misconception that drives me crazy: that teens are “hard to work with” or defiant.

In my experience, they’re not resistant to help, they’re resistant to being talked down to and handled like a problem to manage. I’m casual with teens on purpose, but that doesn’t mean without boundaries. I’m clear from session one about confidentiality, and for a lot of young people, knowing that what they say stays in the room is what makes them willing to be honest. I’m drawn to trauma work and am expanding my training in that area, but I enjoy the full range of what people bring in — anxiety, family conflict, identity, self-esteem, relationships. What matters most to me isn’t the diagnosis, it’s whether someone has room to be fully themselves.

During my MSW program at Syracuse University, I interned at a Harlem-based nonprofit providing healthcare and housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and substance use, and connecting clients with whatever they needed. I also interned at an outpatient mental health clinic with kids ages seven to fifteen affected by trauma, building close relationships with both them and their caregivers. Those two experiences taught me how to show up for people across very different circumstances.

I’m a real person before I’m a therapist. I feel things deeply and I pick up on people’s energy quickly. If you’re hesitant about starting, I get it – sharing personal things with a stranger is understandably scary, and I don’t take that lightly. I’d rather have an honest conversation with you than a clinical one. But what tends to matter most isn’t a specific technique — it’s having someone who shows up for you consistently, session after session.