I'm Melissa, a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health and a counselor educator. I care about the whole person and strive to make it possible for clients to be fully themselves in any session. I work from a position of cultural humility and curiosity. We begin where you are and work toward where you want to be.
The first session is all about getting to know you as a person. I'll ask about your current situation and the people and things that matter to you. We'll review your history and discover the strengths and skills you have and the ones you want to develop.
Sometimes we just need someone to listen to us and help us sort out what we're thinking and feeling. I'm known for my sense of humor and the ability to listen with curiosity and compassion. I'm flexible and can adapt to help you work in a way that meets your counseling goals.
Our lives are lived in relationships and I want to help clients build or rebuild healthy, resilient connections--at home, at work, and wherever you engage people you care about. Relationship issues include parenting education, blended families, sexuality, and spirituality. I work with individuals, couples, and families. We can focus on current concerns and older trauma.
Clients are invited to bring all of themselves into the session, so cultural humility and spiritual integration are potentially part of everyone's care.
I work with the wider cognitive-behavioral theories of counseling including CBT and ACT. REBT aligns with my person-centered values because it emphasizes unconditional self-acceptance.
I offer an energy psychology practice known as Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping to help clients release "stuck" traumatic memories and allow healthier memory reconsolidation.