Leigh White is our Stellar Staff for May! She’s been here for about a year and a half.

Leigh is from Florida and had just finished her Master’s when she found this job at Community Connections as a child and family therapist. She had lived in Fairbanks for a while as a kid, so she knew she wanted to come back to Alaska at some point. The job as a therapist was everything she was looking for.

“It fit everything that I learned in school,” she said.

Her favorite part is doing play therapy with kids.

“It’s a way to communicate with kids in their own language.” She said. “Toys are their words.”

She says it can be challenging sometimes to convince the parents that play is helpful, and to let the kid take charge for the therapy session.

She remembers one kid who showed improvement even after a few months, becoming less aggressive and more respectful.

Leigh also practices “bibliotherapy” (therapy with books) and art therapy.