Hello, My name is Leslie Morris, and I am a licensed clinical social worker in New Jersey. First, please do not rely on the weekly schedule on this site as the determining factor. I am pretty flexible and can schedule in accordance with your needs. It’s best to set your time with me rather than what you see on the scheduler, I have worked with or on behalf of teenagers my entire career. I have worked with pregnant and parenting teenagers, runaways, high school dropouts, sexually abused teens, teens seeking their biological parents (adoption), girls involved in prostitution, homeless teens, and teens involved in severe family conflicts that have warranted removal from the home either to a foster or group home situation. I have also worked with young adults transitioning from college to the “real world” and seeking guidance and direction. I have worked with couples embroiled in marital conflict and adults with a history of childhood trauma. My mantra is that healing begins when one connects current behaviors and choices to childhood experiences, including trauma. I have excellent credentials. I received my bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in Boston, my master’s degree in clinical social work from Boston College, and my master’s degree in public health in maternal and child health from the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill. My second master’s degree provides another framework in which to view and help my clients. I assess, diagnose, and develop a treatment plan for my clients. I do not subscribe to the belief that “one size fits all,” meaning recommended treatment approaches apply to all clients with a specific diagnosis. While I review and incorporate best practices in my work with clients, I tailor the treatment plan based on the client’s current level of functioning – cognitively, socially, mentally, emotionally, and within the context of their cultural, social, and racial experiences. I tend to be more frank than subtle in verbal exchanges with clients, a quality that clients appreciate, as evident in reviews and feedback on this platform and in other venues where I have worked. While I answer text messages, I prefer video chat for regularly scheduled sessions where I can see you and, therefore, more accurately assess what is happening at any given time. I am open to phone chat if video chat fails for some reason, but my preference is video chat. I DO NOT engage in text messaging as a primary mode of therapy. If you prefer to use text messaging as a primary mode of treatment, I would not be a good match. If you choose to work with me, I am excited to begin your journey with you!