Leanne Tanis, MSW, LCSW, SEP

Childhood trauma disconnects us from the truth of who we are. We believe that somehow the hurt we experienced is our fault, we are not good enough, we don’t matter, we are invisible, or we should have tried harder, etc. Without healing, these beliefs follow us far into adulthood. We are left repeating dysfunctional family dynamics, coping in unhealthy and harmful ways, developing addictions or eating disorders, feeling depressed or anxious, and having difficulty in relationships. It all leads back to the most important relationship - the relationship we have with ourselves. I specialize in helping adults heal from childhood trauma such issues related to having been adopted, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, grief-loss, and emotional abandonment. I've held both counseling and leadership positions at The Meadows in Wickenburg, AZ, a world-renowned treatment center for trauma & addiction. You and I will work together as a team helping you to reconnect with the survivor within yourself, build upon strengths, heal your most vulnerable wounds, learn healthy coping skills, live in the present moment, and improve your relationships today. I am highly skilled at helping you get to the root of your addiction as well as your eating disorder. In doing this work, you’ll not only say the words “I am valuable” but you will believe it, own it, & live it.

My training includes: Pia Mellody's Post Induction Training, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP), Ropes Challenge Course, Gestalt Therapy, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. I am also a board-certified clinical supervisor for licensure applicants through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health. I've had the honor to receive training from the most trusted leaders in the field such as: Pia Mellody, Dr. Tian Dayton, Dr. Shelley Uram, and I worked alongside Dr. Claudia Black developing and leading the Claudia Black Center at The Meadows during the first five years of its existence. I have also spoken at various National US Journal Conferences, the Ben Franklin Institute’s Young Adult: Failure to Launch Conference, and the American Adoption Congress Conference offering CEU workshops for professionals. My topics have included: Honoring The Survivor Within: Healing Childhood Trauma, Reaching the Resistant Young Adult, Owning the Right to Exist: Healing for the Adopted Young Adult, and the Addiction Timeline which is an experiential workshop depicting how trauma influences addiction as well as enabling and healthy boundary setting. She has spoken internationally on Treating Families Affected by Addiction and she has also spoken at St. Luke’s Air Force Base on Treating Trauma and Addiction related to those in the military. Leanne has also provided workshops with CEU’s for professionals at ASU, Baylor College, and Texas Christian University, and Connections and Collaborations at the Meadows IOP.

I am highly skilled at quickly helping you get to the root of the issue, whether it be behaviors, addictions, or effects of childhood trauma, etc. You will become aware of and be able to heal whatever lies beneath your presenting difficulties.