The Suzee Leone Grants Program offers small-grants that fund innovative counseling initiatives across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Each spring and fall, the Grants Committee reviews proposals submitted by members in good standing and awards funding for as much as $1,000 per grant for programs that align with the foundation’s mission to foster professional development and enhance counseling services throughout Virginia.
Below are those selected as 2025 recipients.
Amy Burns, LPC
Emory and Henry University
The Expressive Arts at Emory & Henry Program proposes to bring a multi-modal design to counseling services offered by the university.
Students are arriving at campus with more knowledge and experience with mental illness than ever before, including high rates of anxiety and trauma histories, however, they have decreased ability to communicate and express their needs due to growing up in virtual communities online (Haidt, 2024).
Sand tray therapy provides a visual and tactile medium for clients to express themselves, using miniatures to create mini-worlds in the sand. This allows the client to break down the barriers to communication, enhances self-reflection, and healing by processing painful experiences in a safe, contained environment. Sand tray miniatures are used both figuratively and literally, encompassing everything that has, does, or will exist, or can be imagined.
This provides the opportunity for the client to represent feelings, conflicts, and memories to filter into conscious awareness, that can then be processed directly in therapy. There’s a growing body of literature supporting sand tray therapy and expressive arts work with adults, particularly when linguistic communication is difficult, such as when processing trauma memories, but also in career decision-making, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and overall stress reduction.
The Expressive Arts Program would also benefit the next generation of counselors, as the Counseling Center provides internship supervision from the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s program; learning to utilize sand tray work via direct supervision by Counseling Center staff benefits both the campus and the community at large.
Sonnet Conner
Seeking Wellness Counseling Services
The purpose of the project is to provide individuals with a holistic, inclusive, evidence-based approach to mental health support that fosters resilience, social connection, and emotional well-being through the practice of therapeutic group drumming.
Group therapy drumming sessions will be facilitated at Seeking Wellness Counseling Services.
In addition to facilitating group therapy through drum circles, this project also equips me with resources to educate and reach out to mental health providers within the community to educate and train them in the use of therapeutic drumming as an intervention. Additionally, it is my hope to utilize this therapeutic approach at local schools to provide team building and mental health support for educators.
Kadie King, LPC
Rocktown Counseling, LLC
Planting Seeds of Resilience will be a two part workshop aimed to support middle school aged females to develop resilience, positive self-esteem, healthy self-care habits and explore their sense of identity, through the lens of ecotherapy.
Through these workshops, the first in Spring, Plant and Nurture, and second in Summer, Nurture and Thrive, we will explore the difference between surviving and thriving, how our environments impact our well-being, and how relaxation and mindfulness practices can help us cope with stress.
As we investigate a variety of plants, their environments, needs, and reactions to stressors, participants will also examine their own needs in life including physical, emotional, and social. Each person is different and their needs may vary. Planting Seed of Resilience hopes to teach the importance of resilience and skills to thrive as a unique individual.
Miranda Martin, MEd, School Counselor
Montgomery County Schools
Project Zen is a fairly new component of Student Services’ School Wide Program, established in December 2024, to address student and staff mental health needs with a trauma informed, resiliency focused, restorative lens.
As we continue to address the impact of COVID-19 as well as the diverse needs of the underprivileged population served in Elliston Va., (a rural area nestled in the heart of Montgomery County), it has become increasingly evident that additional services such as mindfulness practices would be beneficial in equipping students and staff with skills and tools that support their mental health needs both in and outside of the classroom space.
Samantha Redd, MA
Tea and Empathy Counseling, LLC
This project aims to provide children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, aged 7-18, access to innovative virtual reality-based therapy designed to enhance social communication, emotional regulation, and daily living skills.
The intervention utilizes immersive VR simulations of real-world scenarios, offering a safe and engaging environment where participants can repeatedly practice essential skills.
By providing tailored, dynamic, and anxiety-reducing experiences, the project seeks to build participants’ confidence and reduce their social anxiety.
Morgan Robertson, Resident in Counseling
Active & Connected Family Therapy, Albemarle County Public Schools
Building Rapport & Nurturing Emotional Regulation in School-Based Counseling
The purpose of the project is to provide students in Albemarle County Schools with access to counseling tools, such as fidgets, games, and therapeutic activities, that support emotional regulation, engagement, and expression in therapy sessions.
As I begin my role as a Resident in Counseling with Active & Connected Family Therapy, I will be commuting from Amherst to serve children and teens who may not otherwise have access to therapy.
While I am eager to provide high-quality care, I am starting this position with a sparse tangible toolbox. This can make it difficult to create an engaging and therapeutic counseling space, especially for younger students or those who struggle to verbalize their emotions.
This project will equip my practice with the foundational resources needed to start strong. Many students I serve will present with anxiety, ADHD, trauma-related challenges, or social-emotional difficulties.
Fidgets, games, and structured activities will allow them to remain regulated, practice coping strategies, and build trust in the counseling process. These tools create a bridge for students who may find traditional talk therapy intimidating, helping them feel seen, understood, and supported.
Alishea Rowley, Ph.D.
Master the Mind Mental Health and Wellness
Podcast: High Achieving Women Struggling with Emotional Wellness and Burnout
The purpose of the project is to provide a culturally responsive and accessible podcast that addresses the pervasive issue of normalized dysfunction among high-achieving and diverse women.
Through authentic conversations, expert insights, and practical strategies, the podcast seeks to create a supportive platform where listeners can unlearn harmful patterns, explore healthier perspectives, and embrace emotional wellness.
Episodes will draw from clinical counseling experience, evidence-based practices, and lived narratives to empower women to reframe their experiences and foster resilience. The project aims not only to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health but also to provide practical tools for coping, healing, and thriving.