Shrinks initially consulted by phone and email saw leaders (7)

'shrinks' is the definition.
('cringe' can be a synonym of 'shrink')

'initially consulted by phone and email saw leaders' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'phone' becomes 'ring' (to ring on the phone).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'leaders' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'consulted' is 'c'.
The initial letters of 'email saw' is 'es'.
'c'+'ring'+'es'='CRINGES'