(she/her)
I work especially well with women who are in the “messy middle” of life: between who they have been, what others expect, and what they may want next. Faci Are you a woman facing big decisions? Navigating relationship challenges, family dynamics, parenting difficulties, career pivots? My background shapes how I approach therapy with clients facing such women's issues, which includes years as a licensed mental health counselor, but also as serving in senior leadership within higher education, supporting clients as a transformational coach, and balancing parenting along the way. This mix (and juggling act) gives me a practical understanding of how emotional wellbeing is often shaped by work, caregiving, relationships, and major life responsibilities. Many of the woman I work with are thoughtful, capable, and carrying more than others realize. They often appear highly functional on the outside while privately feeling overwhelmed, depleted, uncertain, or disconnected from themselves. I help clients slow things down enough to understand what is happening beneath the surface, identify what needs attention, and move forward in ways that feel grounded and realistic. I am licensed in Washington and Rhode Island, am a nationally certified counselor, and hold a doctorate in adult and higher education. While my colleagues may call me Dr. T, in counseling I'm just Melanie. I'm here to support you, help you find clarity and calm, offer guidance, levity, and a safe space for tears, perimenopausal rage, or a well placed curse word. Together, we find solutions to the barriers keeping you from your next chapter.
Our first session is usually conversational, designed to help us understand what brings you into therapy, what feels most important to you right now, and what you hope may become different through counseling. We will talk about current concerns, relevant history, patterns you have noticed, and any context that helps explain where you are emotionally. There is no expectation that you arrive knowing exactly what to say or how to explain everything clearly. We begin where you are. My goal is that you leave the first session feeling understood, less alone in what you are carrying, and clearer about how therapy can help.
Clients have shared that they like how I help them make sense of experiences that may feel complicated, layered, or difficult to explain, while also making clients feel seen and heard. It's my privilege to be on a mental health wellness journey with you. Genuinely. And, you'll find that while I take our work together seriously, I don't take myself too seriously. Clients have shared that they didn't know they could laugh and cry during the same counseling session! Clients often appreciate that I bring both warmth and perspective. I am thoughtful, engaged, and direct when needed, while also creating room for honesty without judgment. While I don't shy away from the difficult topics, we do so with grace and gratitude. I listen carefully for patterns, emotional themes, and underlying pressures that may be shaping what you are experiencing. And, we talk through them with care, compassion, and calm. I also understand how various environment, relationships, expectations, and life roles affect emotional wellbeing, which often helps clients see themselves more clearly and respond more intentionally. My experience in the C-suite shapes how I view systems and structures, as well as impacts those of us within them. You'll see this in how we talk through the challenges and barriers you're navigating. The same hold trues for my lived experiences as a parent, professional, counselor, and coach.
Women who are facing difficult decisions within complex situations such as in family, work, or life, resonate with my approach of finding solutions, learning new skills, and feeling more steady to reach their goals. While we work together to find your best path forward, having an open mind for possible next steps is helpful. Clients who have specific goals in mind should feel comfortable sharing those as we establish a therapeutic relationship based on real-life experiences, a little humor, and some grace. I look forward to working with your through the “mess” of it all.
Top specialties
Career Counseling
Life Transitions
Women's Issues
Other specialties
Anxiety
Coping Skills
Foster Care/Adoption
I identify as
White
Woman
Adults (18 to 64)
Rhode Island
Aetna
Strength-Based
Through strengths-based therapy, we set client-driven goals to support problem solving, relationships, work performance, resilience, and overall confidence.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
With solution-focused therapy, we focus on strengths and resources to be future-oriented and goal-driven. through a collaborative approach to implement positive changes.
Feminist
Recognizing the intersectionality of our lives, Feminist therapy allows us to work together to reach client-driven goals and outcomes through a strengths-based approach, shaped by client values.