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Leigh first worked as an inpatient pediatric nurse for five years before returning to school to become a family nurse practitioner. “I loved being a pediatric nurse, but I wanted to broaden my scope of practice to include the adult and geriatric population,” she explains.

After serving for 22 years in the Army, Leigh retired and shifted roles from work in family practice settings to work in addiction medicine. “After retiring from the service, I became increasingly aware of the opioid epidemic facing the nation, and my clinical practice has been primarily focused on treating patients struggling with substance use disorders,” she explains. “I wanted to contribute to the local community by being a part of the solution to reduce the stigma associated with addiction and provide medication-assisted treatment. I find it tremendously rewarding to support patients as they initiate their road to recovery and then help them maintain long-term sobriety.”

Leigh understands that it can be difficult to seek healthcare, especially treatment for substance abuse, so she strives to be respectful and attentive to the patient’s needs at each visit. “I discuss with patients that it is a chronic disease that affects not only their physical health, but also their emotional health, interpersonal relationships, financial status and even their occupation. Most people who need treatment will likely need lifelong support,” she explains. “I encourage patients to take a number of steps to support their recovery, including counseling, community or online support groups, and family involvement. I believe it is important to develop a trusting relationship with each patient, identify what motivates them, and target treatment strategies with realistic benchmarks individualized for each patient to achieve optimal health and wellness.”

When she is not busy with patients, Leigh and her husband enjoy watching their children play soccer, baseball and football. “I also enjoy attending college football games, traveling with my family, and taking walks with my labradoodles.”