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Leah Royden

About

Leah Royden is a writer and registered psychotherapist who provides talk therapy for a range of issues including grief, addiction, eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Bereaved by suicide in early adulthood, she retrained in psychotherapy and completed a Master's dissertation on the phenomenon of speaking about sibling suicide. Leah continues to explore the experience of having difficult conversations while working on her first book, tentatively titled Better Silent Than Silenced. She works in private practice in Auckland, New Zealand.

Recent Posts
Traumatic Loss: A Double Blow
Talking is often essential to grieving, but some losses are "unspeakable." Many people are out of their depth around traumatic topics, and that's where therapy can help.
The Trouble With 'Complicated Grief'

'Complicated grief' isn't defined by the presence of observable symptoms - it's defined by the absence of ‘normality’. But how can we possibly label a griever's process 'abnormal'?

'Complicated grief' isn't defined by the presence of observable symptoms - it's defined by the absence of ‘normality’. But how can we possibly label a griever's process 'abnormal'?

Mourning Together

The Christchurch mosque shootings rocked New Zealand with a raw, numb, disorienting sense of horror. It's still all we can talk about—but will talking help?

The Christchurch mosque shootings rocked New Zealand with a raw, numb, disorienting sense of horror. It's still all we can talk about—but will talking help?

Sibling Suicide Survivors: The "Forgotten Mourners"

Those who lose a sibling to suicide suffer a "double loss"—their sibling is gone, and so is their family as they knew it. Typically, they mourn both losses alone.

Those who lose a sibling to suicide suffer a "double loss"—their sibling is gone, and so is their family as they knew it. Typically, they mourn both losses alone.

There Must Be Something Wrong With Them

We like to think we offer compassion to those bereaved by suicide, and that stigma was left back in the Middle Ages. Does research reveal more medieval attitudes?

We like to think we offer compassion to those bereaved by suicide, and that stigma was left back in the Middle Ages. Does research reveal more medieval attitudes?

Ghosts at the Christmas Table

How do you make it through the tinsel, turkey, and togetherness when somebody you love is never coming home for Christmas?

How do you make it through the tinsel, turkey, and togetherness when somebody you love is never coming home for Christmas?