Leanne Mairs, MSW, LICSW

Therapist

(pronounced [ mahrz ])

My Background

I am a licensed, clinical social worker. I received my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and embarked on a journey called the Peace Corp.  My time spent in the Peace Corp brought many helpful lessons, but one of the most helpful was discovering that there are two parts to any question; the asking and the answering.  Unless you are prepared to handle both parts, a question should not be asked.  Most of my life has been spent seeking out opportunities to make a positive impact in the lives of those around me and in my community. I have come to believe that happiness is not a destination, but a journey. A journey that I started some time ago.

Autism

While I was in the Peace Corps, my sister had a little boy. By the time he was two, she sensed there was something amiss and took him to be tested.  When she received the results, she called me.  She was very serious and asked me if it was OK to tell me something. I said, “Sure,” not knowing what on earth could be so upsetting. She worked through a little of the history and finally told me that her little boy had an Autism Spectrum Disorder. She kept talking, and I kept waiting for the bad news. Not hearing it, I finally interrupted her and asked, “Is that it? Is that what you wanted to tell me?” She said yes, it was. I exhaled and said, “Well that’s nothing. We all have something. His is just called Autism”.

Through my interactions with children on the autism spectrum, I was shaken by the daily stress and anxiety experienced by these families.  Much of the available interventions were not addressing what was actually wrong; as if they were putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg. CrossRoads was formed to help kids and families through the enormous, bewildering maze of autism information. Given the vulnerable nature of most ASD kids, I saw a growing population of kids that had been traumatized or abused with no place to turn to for help. It only seemed natural for me to combine all the knowledge and experience I had gained through my years of doing trauma/abuse work and my work with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 

I am further along on my journey of happiness.