She appreciates that her Jefferson program not only focused on marriage and families but also focused on individuals and groups, utilizing a systemic framework for treating each patient.
“While you have an individual sitting in front of you, they are part of their larger system,” she explains. “This means they have their family, friends, relationships, religion — all make up who they are. I loved the idea of looking at my patient as more than just the individual who is sitting in front of me. The program helped me to identify that it is so much more complex than just, ‘What are you coming in for today?’”
Today, Gal has fulfilled her dream of opening a group practice. While she specializes in helping patients with family issues, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and navigating relationships, she also employs and mentors four other therapists with varying therapeutic specialties. She has found that the birth of her son a year ago has served to further magnify her empathy, compassion, and passion for service to others, including her patients as well as the therapists in her practice.
“Mentorship is one of my favorite things,” she shares. “I say, ‘I’m always here. Don’t ever hesitate to ask me questions.’ It’s important to me to have compassion and understanding for my employees as well.”
Gal treasures her clients’ successes and milestones, striving to ensure that they never feel alone and always feel accepted, heard, and understood.
“I learn from my patients and never take that for granted,” she says. “It can be the smallest things that really connect with people. One of my favorite times is, when following a session, my client will return and say, ‘What you said last week changed my life.’ Or, I have discharged a client, meaning we had great sessions together, they have been able to persevere and overcome obstacles, and they feel good. Later, I get an update from them, like, ‘I had the baby’ or ‘I passed my exam’ or ‘I graduated college.’ Those are the greatest gifts for me.”
Learn more about Leeor Gal.
