Linsey Higgins Leonard, LMSW, is a licensed master’s level clinical social worker with specialized training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She earned her Master’s in Social Work from Wayne State University and is certified in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International. She has supported clients at Nature’s Playhouse since 2017. 

As a mom of two daughters, Linsey understands firsthand how pregnancy and parenting can be both joyful and challenging. Her career has taken her through a variety of social work settings in the U.S. and abroad, but her own journey into motherhood sparked a deep passion for supporting others through conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting.

In addition to her clinical work, Linsey has supervised our interns and limited licensed providers, helping to mentor and guide the next generation of therapists.

Her therapy style is practical, compassionate, and focused on solutions that truly work for each individual. Linsey affirms all sexualities, gender identities and expressions, and family structures, and works alongside clients to help them reach the goals that matter most to them. Linsey also carries a strong commitment to social justice and finds meaning in supporting those engaged in advocacy and community work to help them avoid burnout and sustain their efforts.

Ruth is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a passion for supporting adults through life’s challenges. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Family Studies from Central Michigan University and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from Wayne State University.

With professional experience in Child Welfare and Community Mental Health—and personal experience as a mother of two—Ruth brings deep compassion, empathy, and understanding to her work. She is especially skilled in supporting those navigating Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Trauma, Depression, Anxiety, Grief and Loss, Stress, and Self-Esteem issues.

Ruth believes in meeting individuals where they are and tailoring her approach to meet their unique needs. She incorporates various evidence-based treatment modalities, including CBT, Trauma-Informed Care, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Family Systems, and Person-Centered Therapy.

At Nature’s Playhouse, Ruth provides a safe, supportive space for clients to share their stories, build resilience, and move forward with confidence.

Liz is a licensed counselor specializing in perinatal mental health, trauma, and domestic violence recovery. She is also a proud mother of two, an active volunteer at her kids’ school, and someone who understands the daily juggle of work, volunteering, and raising kids — because she’s living it too.

Liz brings over a decade of experience working with both children and adults who have survived domestic violence. Her passion lies in supporting clients with a history of trauma as they begin to understand their experiences, break harmful cycles, and build healthier patterns — especially when starting or raising a family of their own.

Liz’s approach is rooted in cognitive therapy and built on the belief that you don’t have to be perfect to be doing a great job. Whether you're navigating the emotional toll of motherhood, healing from trauma, or just trying to get through the day, she is here to offer support, not judgment. Liz also enjoys working with children, especially ages 7-12. Through play therapy she assists children in adjusting to transitions and big emotions.

You don’t need to have it all figured out — you just need a place to start. Let’s take that step together.

Sarah is a registered Drama Therapist (RDT in USA, HCPC in UK), with over a decade of experience supporting youth, families and adults. She specializes in: life transitions, child and family struggles, parenting, loss, trauma, self-esteem, anxiety, selective mutism, neurodiversity and more.

Sarah gained her Masters in Drama Therapy at the University of Derby in England. She also lived and worked in Canada, China and Japan, cultivating a culturally-informed and fluid lens. She’s worked in therapy centers, schools, and fostering services, developing an understanding of varied needs and contexts. She can facilitate sessions in English, French and nonverbally.

Sarah’s approach is integrative, weaving together creative, person-centered, mindful, somatic, and verbal therapy approaches to support wellbeing. With compassion she meets people where they are, and facilitates a tailored approach that is unique to each person, to find what’s serving. Creative approaches may include metaphors, images, story, embodiment, role, imagination and play, which can tap into one’s innate healing capacities, and uncover new possibilities.

Life is not a straight road. It is sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, and hazardous more than we might wish it to be. It is at these times that we seek guidance, a helping hand to navigate the journey. As a Licensed Masters Level Clinical Social Worker with over sixteen years of experience, Amariah has offered her professional support to individuals and families within community mental health settings, residential facilities, domestic violence shelters, and crisis centers. A nurturer by nature, Amariah offers a modern approach to mental health caregiving that harmoniously blends mind-body practices like yoga and mindfulness with evidence-based treatment models. She is certified as both a Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy practitioner and Child Mental Health Professional, with specialized training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Mindfulness Coaching with children and adults.

As a registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) and mother of two, Amariah uses every experience and wellness modality at her fingertips to support adults, new parents, and children in recovery from trauma, depression, anxiety, and grief. Her approach to healing is holistic and heart-centered. Amariah is dedicated to helping each individual discover their own path to embodying their best selves.

Pregnancy and parenthood can bring deep emotional shifts, identity changes, and moments that feel both beautiful and overwhelming. Sara supports individuals through these transitions with compassion, creativity, and care. Her work centers on holding space for complex emotions, reducing barriers to care, and honoring the healing power of community. As a mother and trauma-informed therapist with a background in community mental health, Sara brings both lived experience and professional insight. She offers a holistic approach that helps clients feel seen, supported, and empowered throughout their perinatal journey.

Sara is available to provide counseling both at Nature’s Playhouse and Birth Detroit.

Tierra is a Licensed Master Social Worker with over 12 years of experience in working in the mental health field, various Michigan community mental health agencies, hospice care and with managed care organizations. She believes in and utilizes a holistic, strengths based-solution focused approach to treatment.

Tierra received training with Postpartum Support International and is passionate about assisting parents with issues related to pregnancy and postpartum difficulties. As a mother of twins, she understands that with parenthood, comes many life changes and adjustments.

She is also a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator and practices a conscious parenting philosophy. Tierra offers therapy for parents seeking a new and better way to parent their children without guilt, shame or corporal punishment. Conscious parenting is rooted in the belief that focuses on the parent and how mindfulness can drive parenting choices.

Mikki is a licensed master’s social worker who has held a Level III Infant Mental Health Endorsement through the Michigan Association of Infant Mental Health. She has specific training and experience with Perinatal Anxiety and Mood Disorders and attachment relationships between parents and young children. She has worked in Community Mental Health settings for the community at Head Start’s, GSRP’s, and preschools for over 15 years.

Although Mikki’s work in Infant Mental Health and attachment relationships began before she had children, having children only deepened her passion in working with families to strengthen bonding and attachment. Other professional certifications include childproofing assessments, through the International Association of Child Safety; and infant massage instructor, through Infant Massage USA.

Julia is a licensed clinical social worker who has committed her life to working with children, youth, and families. She received her B.A. in biology and psychology from Kenyon College and her MSW from University of Michigan.

Julia has worked with youth and families in a wide array of different settings, including foster care, a shelter for runaway and homeless young women and their children, a Neonatal ICU, and community mental health. She is a trained trauma practitioner, having been trained through MDHHS’ Children’s Trauma Initiative, and most recently through the Israeli Trauma Coalition. She is committed to, and an advocate for, culturally-sensitive trauma-informed care.

Julia’s passion for perinatal mental health began while working in a Neonatal ICU and seeing first hand where systems fail to adequately support, care for, and empower perinatal persons. This passion turned into a calling following her own transition to parenthood and seeing how important having a village of support is during this vulnerable time. She has specific training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, as well as parent management training and suicide prevention and intervention. Julia uses a person-centered, empathetic, relational, trauma-informed, and solution-focused approach to working with individuals. 

Cassie is a Licensed Masters Clinical Social Worker who has invested the past 15 years into supporting people’s healing journeys. Cassie’s past experiences teaching trauma-sensitive yoga have enhanced her understanding of how trauma and pain can sideline plans and ultimately keep people stuck in a cycle of survival. Her experiences, both personal and professional, have led her to believe that our bodies will house our stories until we feel safe enough to express them differently. Cassie feels her role as a therapist is to create safe spaces for people to bring their whole selves into the room. She believes fully in every individual’s capacity for deep and real change and knows that the foundation for working together comes through slowly gaining the trust of those she works with. Cassie’s approach is gentle and attuned to the individual needs of her clients.

Cassie has done multiple trauma-sensitive trainings and has specialized trainings in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Cassie uses a holistic, mind-body approach with psychodynamic influences aimed at helping her clients lessen their present stress while working toward understanding the roots of their dilemmas. Cassie understands that beginning therapy can feel intimidating for many people.  She welcomes adults of all backgrounds to contact her with their fears or anxieties to discuss creative solutions to working together.

Brandi is a Licensed Masters Clinical Social Worker (LMSW), with over 10 years of experience providing professional support to individuals and families within human services. During Brandi’s time at DHHS, she worked as a foster care specialist assisting families with reunifying, in addition she was the coordinator of a program that guided young people as they transitioned out of the foster care system in developing life skills and independence. As a licensed social worker, she has had the opportunity to help both youth and adults, individually and in groups. Brandi is a Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist, and has provided extensive support to grievers and their families during very difficult times. Trained in the use of several therapeutic methods, she utilizes the method(s) that best meet clients’ individual needs.

Brandi sincerely believes that every person is valuable and has the potential to experience their emotional wellness when provided meaningful support. Creating opportunities for her clients to discover and tap into their core strengths is at the heart of her daily focus. She is dedicated to helping people in the community thrive and be the best version of themselves.

Tiffany is a fully licensed master level clinical social worker specially trained in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. After adapting to her own transition through pregnancy and early motherhood with her daughter and working through her own post-partum anxiety and depression journey, Tiffany found the experience of coping with her transition to be a challenge that sparked the motivation to work with others experiencing the same.

Tiffany also has experience in working with those who are struggling to cope with grief and loss and the unique dynamic that a loss can present whether it’s a loss of a sense of self through major transitions in life such as marriage, pregnancy, parenthood, career development or the loss of a relationship or loved one. Tiffany has experience in applying theories such as psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral as well as adapting a strengths-based model and emotion focused approach to her work with clients.

Tiffany supports a team approach with clients to strengthen the interpersonal connection and communication challenges that they may experience as further challenges during these life changes.

Tiffany also has experience in working as a clinical hospice social worker and within a part time teaching role at Wayne State University School of Social Work.

Melissa is currently enrolled in the Master’s Program at Madonna where she is developing the skills and knowledge to support individuals and families in meaningful ways. She has a strong passion for helping others, and is committed to fostering resilience, compassion and positive change within the communities she serves. Through this internship, Melissa looks forward to gaining hands-on experience, growing as a professional, and continuing her journey of making a difference in people’s lives. She is a woman of strength and resilience with a passion for supporting people through life’s challenges and celebrating their growth. Melissa focuses on empowering mothers, children, and family by creating a supportive safe space that fosters healing and growth.

She has served in the healthcare industry for over thirty years helping, encouraging, motivating, and inspiring others to become the best version of themselves has become a life mission for her.

She her associate’s in applied science degree in Mental Health/Social Work, and a Bachelors Social Work degree from Madonna University.

Melissa enjoys learning, teaching, and spending time with family. Outside of her professional journey, she enjoys serving in her church ministries, volunteering, which continually inspires her to lead with love, compassion, and care. Melissa is a firm believer that it is never too late to start again.