I honestly believe that being a licensed mental health counselor is such a wonderful way to advocate for people, to empower people. I’m given legitimacy with the license.
As an award-winning mental health counselor, Leigh-Ann Larson, ’01, G’05, aims to be a light in a world filled with darkness and struggle.
“I honestly believe that being a licensed mental health counselor is such a wonderful way to advocate for people, to empower people,” said Larson, who earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s in mental health counseling from Bridgewater State. “I’m given legitimacy with the license. The state will listen to me, hospitals will listen to me, police will listen to me.”
Larson helps her patients with housing, relationships, trauma and many other issues. The job is especially meaningful because she attended therapy sessions when she was a new mother struggling with postpartum depression. Seeing the positive effects firsthand solidified her career goals.
Bridgewater State, Larson said, provided the foundation to achieve those goals and to become a leader in her field. The Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association recently named her Counselor of the Year for her commitment to mentoring new professionals.
“I think my grad school career gave me an appreciation for the different aspects of counseling,” she said, praising interactions with classmates who were preparing to be school counselors, mental health counselors and higher education professionals.
Today, Larson is CEO of Elevate Counseling Services, where she leads a team of more than 40 employees across Southeastern Massachusetts. She founded the behavioral healthcare practice in 2015 and, last year, launched an intensive outpatient program for adults facing grief, loss, trauma and other mental health concerns.
She emphasizes a collaborative approach to serving patients, something that is tied to her experiences with group projects as a graduate student.
“That seed was planted that many minds make a better product,” she said.
Larson took classes as an adult learner, often doing homework at the kitchen table alongside her three children. Despite juggling school and family obligations, she worked as a graduate assistant in the Counseling Center, where she planned wellness events. She also conducted research on a substance abuse program for gay men.
Larson remains committed to supporting new graduates through professional development training and internships. Working with fellow Bridgewater alumni, she said, is one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
“It’s really an honor to give back,” Larson said. “I love the education they receive because I received it and I know how good it was.”
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