Family and Couples Work with-Jen Mele
Family and Couples Work with-Jen Mele
(she/her)
Welcome to Creative Healing. I'm owner and group therapist Jen Mele, LCSW, EYT-200. You've taken a meaningful step by seeking support—and that alone is an act of care for yourself and your relationships. At Creative Healing, we work with Couples, Families, and Teens navigating challenges such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, intense emotions, impulsivity, self-criticism, and more. Many of the couples and families we support are struggling with common but painful dynamics: difficulty managing emotional intensity, trouble setting and respecting boundaries, and the challenge of truly listening to and hearing one another without judgment. These patterns can create disconnection, resentment, and hurt—but they are also deeply workable with the right tools and support. Our practice is holistic, honoring the mind-body connection and the inherent capacity for healing and reconnection. We are passionate about helping people rebuild trust, increase emotional awareness, and create more stable, compassionate relationships through a personalized and respectful approach. My own journey to becoming a therapist was inspired by a desire to help others move through emotional pain and relational conflict with kindness and empowerment. We specialize in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS)*because we’ve seen how powerfully they support emotional regulation, self-understanding, and relational healing: These approaches aren’t just supportive—they’re scientifically validated. At Creative Healing, we integrate these proven methods to help you and your loved ones create meaningful, lasting change.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Starting therapy can feel intimidating, uncertain, or even overwhelming — and that’s completely understandable.** Taking the step to reach out for support is brave, and I want you to know that the first session is designed to meet you exactly where you are. There is no expectation or pressure to share more than you feel comfortable with. In fact, many clients feel nervous or unsure during their first appointment, and that’s perfectly normal. The intake session is your time to be heard and understood on your own terms. You can share about what’s on your mind, the challenges you’re facing, or simply talk about your hopes and goals for therapy. You also have the chance to ask any questions about the therapy process, what to expect moving forward, and the specific approaches I use. This session is about building a foundation of trust and safety, and helping you feel more grounded and informed about your journey ahead. At Creative Healing we use a combination of evidence-based and integrative approaches to tailor therapy to your unique needs. You can answer questions about your self or take your time sharing everything until you feel safe. A treatment plan may be started so you can understand what your goals are step by step.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I was that person chosen for peer counseling at school and the friend people went to when they needed an ear. My own life experiences were challenging from the start and I felt an uncanny ability to empathize with different people. Over the years, a search for answers to my own suffering led me from science to mindfulness to psychology to working as a therapist. All while healing old and newfound chronic pains and illnesses. My experiences as a yoga practitioner & teacher, artist, painter, group leader and continuing educator have influenced my practice. I started Creative Healing 13 years ago and value providing a high level of client care. This is a safe, inclusive space for you to come and feel seen and heard. I’m warm, approachable, and genuinely curious about people’s stories. I believe healing happens best in a space where you feel safe, heard, and free to be exactly who you are—no filters, no judgment. I’m someone who values kindness, creativity, and a good sense of humor (because sometimes we all need to laugh, even in tough moments). Outside of therapy, I’m passionate about creating art and self-expression, music, the beach, nature, dogs and connecting with family in friends. If you want to see a bit of my world and creative journey, feel free to check out my Instagram @jenmeleart — it’s where I share my art and the pieces of life that inspire me.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
Many of the couples and families I work with come to therapy feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck in frustrating patterns of disconnection. You may be experiencing frequent conflict, emotional distance, difficulty communicating, or feeling like you're repeating the same arguments without resolution. Often, there’s a shared sense of being unheard, unseen, or emotionally unsupported—despite a deep desire to reconnect. You or your loved ones might be showing survival patterns like people-pleasing, emotional avoidance, resentment, self-criticism, or shutting down during tough moments. It might feel hard to manage intense emotions, set healthy boundaries, or listen to one another without defensiveness or judgment. These dynamics are common in relationships under stress—and they are absolutely workable. Sometimes, one or more people in the relationship are so used to holding space for others (as parents, partners, or caregivers) that they've lost touch with their own needs, voice, or sense of self. There may also be challenges with motivation, attention, dissociation, or automatic reactions that create emotional distance. All of these experiences are part of a protective survival system. In therapy, we work together to gently understand and shift these patterns—through small, achievable steps that restore trust, emotional safety, and connection. What to Expect My work with couples and families is trauma-informed, collaborative, and integrative. I blend several evidence-based approaches—including **Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), somatic and mindfulness practices and Imago Relationship Therapy—to help you move from conflict to connection. *Imago Relationship Therapy- at its core is the **Imago Dialogue**, a structured process that teaches you how to listen and respond in ways that promote empathy, safety, and mutual understanding. One of the foundational steps in the dialogue is **mirroring**—where one person listens deeply and reflects back what they’ve heard, word for word, without interrupting or reacting. This step alone can shift the tone of conversations, reduce reactivity, and help each person feel truly heard. From there, we move into validation and empathy—creating space for healing old wounds and building stronger, more connected relationships. We also incorporate IFS parts work to help each person identify the emotional "parts" that show up in conflict or withdrawal—like the inner critic, the protector, or
About Family and Couples Work with-Jen Mele
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Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
DBT Couples and Family Therapy: With 17 years of experience practicing and teaching Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I’ve seen how truly life-changing these skills can be for both couples and families. Over nearly two decades, I’ve supported people navigating intense emotions, strained relationships, and difficult life transitions—and I’ve witnessed the powerful impact DBT can have in creating deeper connection, understanding, and resilience. DBT is more than just therapy—it’s a practical and compassionate approach that helps couples and families manage emotional intensity, communicate more effectively, and respond to challenges with greater confidence and clarity. At its heart, DBT teaches a balance of acceptance and change: accepting each other as you are, while also learning new ways to grow together. Throughout my work, I’ve taught DBT skills in individual therapy, group settings, and workshops—helping clients integrate them into everyday life. Whether it's mindfulness to stay grounded, distress tolerance to navigate conflict, or interpersonal effectiveness to express needs and boundaries clearly, these tools offer a foundation for healing and connection. What makes DBT so powerful in family and couple dynamics is its blend of structure and empathy—it meets people where they are, honors their experiences, and provides clear, actionable strategies for lasting change. My goal is to help you apply these skills in ways that feel relevant and empowering, so you can build stronger, more compassionate relationships—together. Having a language that you can discuss with your partner or family members also helps you to get onto the same page. If you'd like to setup a couples or family session please let me know! Please note: Grow currently does not accept insurance for group services, but you can learn more about them on my website.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS Couples and Family Therapy: I have been practicing Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for 13 years, and my journey with IFS began as a client. It was the first approach that truly helped me, offering a compassionate and transformative path to healing—one that I now bring to my work with couples and families. IFS is a powerful model that views the mind as made up of “parts”—inner voices or roles that influence how we think, feel, and relate. In close relationships, these parts often get activated: one partner’s need for space may trigger another’s fear of abandonment, or a parent’s protector part may clash with a teen’s need for autonomy. These dynamics are common, and IFS offers a path to understand and shift them with care. Parts typically fall into three categories: * **Managers** try to maintain control, often through perfectionism, criticism, or emotional distance. * **Firefighters** react when emotions are high—sometimes through anger, avoidance, or numbing behaviors. * **Exiles** carry the pain, fears, or unmet needs we try to keep buried—yet they often fuel our strongest reactions in relationships. At the core of each person is the **Self**—a calm, compassionate, grounded presence that can lead with clarity and care. In couples and family work, IFS helps each member access this Self energy so they can approach each other with empathy instead of reactivity. As partners or family members begin to understand their own parts—and each other’s—they gain tools to communicate more openly, repair trust, de-escalate conflict, and support one another’s healing. Having experienced this process firsthand, I bring deep empathy to my work. I help couples and families navigate stuck patterns and reconnect in more meaningful, respectful, and emotionally safe ways. IFS offers not just insight, but real transformation—making space for deeper connection, understanding, and lasting change. In IFS, because of the unblending process, you get to look at each of your different parts and how they are interacting non-judgmentally.
Group Therapy
Paint and Mixed Media Group Our Paint and Mixed Media Group is a welcoming, nurturing space designed to help you reconnect with your creative self and access healing through art. Led by Jen Mele, LCSW, EYT-200, artist and therapist, this group blends art-making with mindfulness and somatic awareness to support emotional exploration and self-expression. The painting process is about allowing the Self to express itself beyond words—honoring your authentic rhythm and flow. This group encourages you to take gentle steps into uncertainty, managing mistakes and happy accidents as part of the creative journey. We also work with the critical inner voice, transforming self-judgment into curiosity and compassion. Whether you’re new to art or experienced, you’ll explore paint, collage, and mixed media in a supportive environment where the process matters more than the product. This group invites curiosity, self-compassion, and creative play as pathways to deeper self-understanding and healing. We accept most insurances, however, Grow does not currently bill for group on their platform therefore you can contact me in other ways via my profile.
Family Therapy
Absolutely! Here's a polished section you can use on your website or in your materials that explains **how Internal Family Systems (IFS)** and **Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)** support **family therapy structure, scheduling, and psychoeducation**—all within a trauma-informed and relational context: --- ### How IFS and DBT Support Family Therapy: Structure, Scheduling & Psychoeducation When working with families, creating a supportive and effective structure is essential. Families often come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, emotionally dysregulated, or caught in cycles of conflict and disconnection. That’s where **Internal Family Systems (IFS)** and **Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)** provide a powerful, evidence-based foundation—not only for emotional healing but also for **clear structure, consistent scheduling, and relational psychoeducation**. #### 🧭 Structured Framework for Sessions **IFS and DBT bring clarity and rhythm** to family therapy work. Sessions are thoughtfully structured to balance emotional exploration with practical skill-building: * With **DBT**, we set clear agendas, goals, and rhythms that families can rely on. Skills are introduced in manageable steps, often with a focus for each session (e.g., mindfulness, distress tolerance, boundary setting, validation). * **IFS** provides a deeply compassionate roadmap for navigating emotions and conflict. Each family member learns to recognize their internal “parts” and how those parts may be interacting with one another in the family system (e.g., a parent’s protector part clashing with a teen’s exile or firefighter part). This framework supports a sense of containment and direction even in emotionally charged sessions. Both models help reduce the chaos that can often show up in family dynamics by **introducing predictability and process**, so families know what to expect and feel safe engaging in the work. 📆 Scheduling with Intention In family work, scheduling is strategic, not just logistical. Depending on the family’s needs, we may use rotating sessions (e.g., alternating individual and joint sessions), or create steady structures such as weekly or biweekly appointments with specific goals. * **DBT’s modular approach** allows us to assign relevant skills between sessions—turning therapy into something the family lives and practices throughout the week. * **IFS** helps us track inner and relational shifts over time, so scheduling can be aligned with emotional pacing. Sessions might shift from more intensive support during high-conflict phases to maintenance and integration as trust and regulation increase. This approach makes therapy sustainable while also **supporting long-term change**. 📚 Psychoeducation that Builds Understanding A key part of both DBT and IFS is **psychoeducation**—teaching families about the patterns behind their behaviors, emotions, and communication breakdowns. In DBT, we offer psychoeducation around emotional regulation, the nervous system, interpersonal effectiveness, and how emotions impact behavior. This helps families understand that conflict or reactivity isn’t “bad behavior”—it’s often a survival response. * **IFS** brings awareness to how each person’s internal parts are activated in family interactions. Learning about the roles of Managers, Firefighters, and Exiles gives families **language and compassion** for what’s really happening beneath the surface of arguments or shutdowns. This knowledge empowers families to **move from blame to understanding**, and from reaction to repair. Together, IFS and DBT provide a balanced blend of **emotional depth, relational clarity, and practical structure**—making therapy not only a space for healing but also a guide for daily life. Whether your family is navigating trauma, parenting challenges, emotional dysregulation, or a breakdown in communication, these approaches create a solid foundation for lasting change—one step, one session, and one insight at a time.
Somatic
Somatic therapy is a body-based approach that helps you tune into physical sensations as a way to process emotions, release stress, and heal from trauma. It’s based on the understanding that the body and mind are deeply connected — emotions often show up physically, and healing can happen through both awareness and movement. This approach helps you notice how emotions live in your body and offers tools like grounding, breathwork, and gentle movement to support nervous system regulation. It works especially well alongside DBT and IFS by making emotional experiences more tangible and helping you connect more deeply with yourself and your parts. Somatic therapy is about slowing down, listening to your body, and creating space for healing that goes beyond words. What Is a Mind-Body Approach? A mind-body approach recognizes that mental health, physical health, and emotional well-being are deeply interconnected. This isn’t just a philosophical view — it’s backed by growing scientific evidence in fields like neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, and pain research. In therapy, a mind-body approach invites us to explore not only what we *think* and *feel*, but also what we *sense*. Our bodies store emotions, trauma, and stress responses. Physical symptoms can carry emotional weight, and emotional challenges can manifest physically. That’s why healing often requires more than talk therapy alone. This approach also helps you learn to distinguish between physical and emotional sensations and to understand how they often layer together. For example, chronic muscle tension may come from structural strain and unresolved emotional stress. We explore how the nervous system, posture, breathing, movement, and touch are all connected to your emotional landscape. We also address something that’s commonly overlooked in both traditional and holistic spaces: medical bypass — when emotional issues are dismissed as “just physical” — and **spiritual bypass**, when physical issues are ignored in favor of mindset or energy alone. A mind-body approach emphasizes bothhemotional exploration and appropriate **medical attention**, supporting you in taking your body seriously while exploring its deeper messages. In this work, I often refer clients to or collaborate with a range of other providers including **medical doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, Reiki practitioners, massage therapists, and other skilled bodyworkers**. Approaches from both **Eastern and Western traditions** are welcomed, and we explore what feels right for you. A special focus is placed on the **fascia and connective tissue system** — the body’s internal web that supports, connects, and communicates between all systems. Fascia is still largely under-recognized in mainstream care, even though research and experience show that **70–80% of physical pain can be resolved through fascial release and integration**. Techniques like gentle movement, somatic awareness, breathwork, and hands-on bodywork can be powerful tools for reconnecting with this system and relieving long-held tension. Ultimately, a mind-body approach is about **coming back home to yourself** — learning to listen to the wisdom of your body, understand the patterns of your nervous system, and build emotional and physical resilience from the inside out. It’s holistic, collaborative, and rooted in deep respect for your whole being.