PlayfulLeigh Psyched

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What does the name of the company even mean?

PlayfulLeigh Psyched is a play on words and sounds for the owner. In some circles, Dr. Dowtin uses her middle name, Leigh (like the name Lee). Among several other training areas and certifications, Dr. Dowtin is a registered play therapist (RPT) and has training in clinical psychology (psych). PlayfulLeigh (like, playfully) is a reminder for Dr. Dowtin and all of her clients to embody playfullness whenever possible. Psyched, reminds us that our mental health is important. While psychotherapy and counseling can be emotinally challenging, many people are excited to begin a journey of healing. Therefore, one meaning behind the company's name is - playfully excited. Remember, we do not lose our ability to play as we grow older, we stifle our willingness to play. Get ready to take back a piece of yourself and find a moment to play a little today.



What kind of counseling concerns are not a good fit for PlayfulLeigh Psyched right now?

At this time, we are not accepting new clients who have primary concerns about relationship issues with a romantic partner(s), children between the ages of 6- to 17-years-old, people with previously diagnosed personality disoders, and people who are suicidal or who have recently had a plan for suicide within the past year. Contact us to find out if your concerns are a good fit for our services.



What can I expect if I choose Dr. Dowtin as a counselor for myself?

My therapeutic style is empathic and interactive. I believe in the gentle treatment of all humans. We move together on your journey as you head towards healing and wholeness. I lead with empathy and follow with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. When working with adults, my counseling approach combines humanistic and psychodynamic therapy. Depending on what brings you to counseling, we may explore the impact that certain early life experiences are having on you in the present to help you change your inner narrative. Based on the your needs, I may invite you to engage in mindfulness practicies or incorporate cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. Regardless, we will work together to tailor our dialog and your treatment plan to meet your needs.



Does PlayfulLeigh Psyched accept insurance or Medicaid for counseling?

No. However, we do offer a sliding scale. Please contact us to learn more.



Consultation and Coaching

What kind of consultaion and coaching does PlayfulLeigh Psyched, LLC provide and what makes you qualified?

PlayfulLeigh Psyched provides online early childhood classroom consultation and teacher/adminstator coaching to infant and early care providers. The owner of PlayfulLeigh Psyched was a preschool and infant care teacher, and an Assistant Director or Center Director for over 11 years while learning and training in mental health. She worked as a mental health and behavioral consultant in a therapuetic preschool for children who had experienced trauma. The combination of these unique experiences means that Dr. Dowtin has not only education and training, but also real-life practical skills. She understands what it is like to be in a classroom with 20 preschoolers running around, or in an infant-care classroom with 6 babies crying, or running a center of 120+ children and families because she lived it! Dr. Dowtin also provides consultation to new clinicians exploring telehealth for their private practice.



Counseling Adults

There are a lot of pictures of babies and children on this site, how can I trust that my adult issues will be addressed?

Great question. Let's learn a little about Dr. Dowtin's background. Dr. Dowtin is a straight Black cisgender woman who specializes in working with underserved and marginalized communities. Furtermore, she works to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, as she knows from an active civil rights perspective, how important it is to both advocate for oneself and have allies who stand firm when adversity presents. She attended a historically Black university (HBCU) for one graduate program where cultural identity development was infused in their existence. Then, she attended another university where many students, staff, and faculty identify as LGBTQ+. Her belief is that our practical and personal experiences immerse us in culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse communities.

She is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) in the state of Maryland and registered for teletherapy in Florida. Also, she has advanced degrees and training in school and clinical psychology (Ph.D.). She has worked with individuals and families for over ten years. Her practice is for individuals of most ages (conception through age 5 and then 18 years+). Her passion is working with people who have experienced trauma (including attachment trauma, childhood trauma, and PTSD), abuse/assault, anxiety, identity development, and postpartum depression.

She has completed advanced training as a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder counselor. Therefore, she is highly qualified to work with individuals during the perinatal period (e.g., during pregnancy and for the first two years postpartum). This includes all genders and adoptive parents. Also, she has specialty training in parenting problems (e.g., parenting challenges related to infants and young children).



I am still not convinced that Dr. Dowtin is a good fit for adult therapy since she has so much experience with children. What have her recent adult clients said about her?

Written by E.R. on Mar 18, 2020 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, self esteem, and career difficulties: Dr. Dowtin is great! What's been helping me the most in therapy is learning to view things in a different way. Dr. Dowtin is helping me to shift my perspective, she makes me feel heard, acknowledged, and safe. Written by B.R. on Feb 09, 2020 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, and stress, anxiety: "Very friendly and professional!" Written by M.O. on Jan 31, 2020 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 1 month on issues concerning depression, family conflicts, parenting issues, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue: "I have been [with working with counselors] for a few months now and I didn't originally get matched with Dr. Dowtin but I'm very grateful to have been fortunate enough to be matched with her on my second go around. She is absolutely amazing! She has helped me with things I have been struggling with for years through traditional therapy and for the first time I truly feel I am making progress! I can't wait to see what wonderful changes are instore for me as I continue to work with her." Written by M.A. on Jan 12, 2020 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, career difficulties, and coping with life changes: "Dr. Dowtin is amazing at what she does. Speaking to her has really helped me work through a lot of the personal problems I have recently been going through." Written by N.I. on Nov 13, 2019 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, self esteem, and anger management" "Dr Dowtin is patient, a great listener, and remembers what you said even when you forget (which is a good thing for accountability). She's great at cutting to the heart of the matter while being sympathetic and kind. I feel pretty lucky to be able to work with her." "Written by K.I. on Oct 27, 2019 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and intimacy-related issues: "[Dr. Dowtin] is a good listener." Written by H.E. on Sep 26, 2019 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, and coping with life changes: "Dr. Dowtin - has been a wonderful counselor to work with. She displays a high level of patience, understanding and empathy each session. She is very attentive and asks the right questions to help steer the discussion in the right direction and assigns appropriate post-session "homework". I would recommend her to others." Written by A.D. on Sep 24, 2019 after counseling with Dr. Dowtin for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes: "Dr. Dowtin is very kind and a great listener. She has really helped me figure out ways to cope and grow in a short time. I am very happy to get a chance to see her as a patient."



Counseling Children

What can I expect if I choose Dr. Dowtin as a counselor for my toddler?

Young children need the presense and guidance of their caregivers to benefit form psychotherapuetic intervention. The infant-parent/child-parent relationship is the core system at play to help young children thrive. When working with parents of infants and young children who are experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges, I most commonly utilize the Circle of Security-Parenting (COS-P) and skills from Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), depending on the needs of the parents. For children (birth to five years) who have experience trauma, I use principles of Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP).



Does PlayfulLeigh Psyched offer Play Therapy?

YES! Given the current times of COVID-19, PlayfulLeigh Psyched is offering TelePlay Therapy for children. This is uncharted terriority, as play therapy is traditionally in-person. First, a parent-only session would need to occur so that you and Dr. Dowtin could determine the appropriate set up and toys for the session. In some cases, Dr. Dowtin will guide parents to use play therapy techniques with their child to facilitate relationship enhancement for the parent-child relationship. This method also helps with decreasing challenging child behaviors. Dr. Dowtin is also certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which has success with teletherapy.



Location

Does PlayfulLeigh Psyched have a brick and mortar location?

No. All services are provided via telehealth and virtual visits. You would need access to a laptop, tablet, or smart device to join video sessions. Phone sessions are also possible for select services.



Since PlayfulLeigh Psyched offers teletherapy, can I be anywhere in the world during sessions?

Unfortunately, mental health laws are decades behind technology. Currently, Dr. Dowtin is licensed for telehealth counseling services in Maryland and Florida. That means, you must be physically located in one of those two states during live counseling sessions. For now, you must be in Maryland or Florida to access these services. However, PlayfulLeigh Psyched offers consultation services to clinicians and companies all over the world! Maryland: LCPC #LC8553 (Expires: 2022-01-31) Florida Registration: #TPMHC62 (Expires: 2022-01-31)