Background and Education
Leslie Evelo has been in private practice as a psychologist since 1991, and most recently has decided to focus on the new and growing field of online therapy. She also offers professional consultation and training for mental health professionals, companies, and organizations.
Dr. Evelo received her Ph.D. from Indiana State University in 1990, and master’s degree from Indiana State in 1985. Leslie moved to Cincinnati in 1988, and completed her doctoral internship at the University of Cincinnati Psychological Services Center in 1989.
After internship, Dr. Evelo worked at Miami University’s Student Counseling Service as a psychotherapist until 1991, when she entered private practice in Cincinnati. Dr. Evelo’s practice has focused extensively on gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues; feminist therapy; and trauma recovery. Other areas of practice have included depression; anxiety; grief and loss; EMDR; and couple therapy. Leslie’s most recent area of interest is mindfulness and meditation.
Dr. Evelo lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her life partner and their two dogs. Leslie loves animals, and believes they are wise teachers and healers. Spirituality, our interconnectedness with all beings, and the inherent goodness that is our true nature — these beliefs form the foundation for Leslie’s work and for her life. She enjoys learning about spirituality, mind/body healing, and meditation.
Professional and Therapeutic Philosophy
Dr. Evelo approaches all her work from the perspective of mind/body/spirit wellness. This means that in considering a person’s mental health, she also explores their physical health and their spiritual beliefs, with the understanding that all three of these aspects of one’s life combine to determine their overall health. Physical health impacts our emotions and our beliefs; our emotions and beliefs affect how we feel physically. Our spiritual beliefs and practices, if we have them, can influence our emotions and our physical health, and may provide a sense of meaning and purpose to our lives.
Dr. Evelo’s work is also informed by feminist therapy and systems theory, both of which recognize the influences of family, school, religion, and society on our lives. Through these systems, we learn what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is not; what roles we play; what earns us approval and love and what does not. These forces combine to determine our sense of power and control over our lives, our self-worth, and our value to society. These various systems can encourage us to grow and thrive, and they can hold us down and limit our growth. We are deeply influenced by all these aspects of our lives, and our overall wellness is impacted by them.
There are several different styles of therapy, among them cognitive/behavioral, object relational, insight oriented, psychodynamic, and gestalt. Dr. Evelo uses a combination of techniques or approaches from each of these therapy styles, since therapy is not a “one size fits all” endeavor. Everyone is unique, so Dr. Evelo tries to find the combination of therapy styles that best suits each individual.
Mindfulness is a component of all of Dr. Evelo’s work with clients. Simply put, mindfulness is being aware of one’s experience in the present moment, and accepting it without judgment. Being aware of our physical sensations, our surroundings, our thoughts and our feelings in the present moment allows us to stop resisting what is. When we stop resisting what is real right now, we see our experience more clearly. We can then choose how we react or respond to it, rather than reacting automatically or doing what we have always done. Being mindful also allows us to be here right now, versus always thinking about the past or worrying about the future.
If you have questions or would like more information about Dr. Evelo’s therapeutic approach, you can contact her using the “Get in Touch with Dr. Evelo” form below.
