New to Grow
Hello! My name is Melissa Maddox, I've been practicing in the mental health field, supporting both adolescents and adults in and around the Rockville area for the last 30 years. Therapy is my passion, and I'm grateful for the trust that every client gives to me when they allow me the chance to assist them in their journey towards positive growth and change. It's not just the trust they put into me, but also the trust they put into the process. A process that I know works. I see therapy as a collaborative effort between me and my clients, and I measure my success as a clinician by the success of my clients. I have a very laid-back style in both my therapeutic approach and my therapy environment. You can expect lots of humor, kindness, compassion, and empathy from me, numerous candy jars, and my dog Daisy sleeping through our sessions. I do offer both telehealth and in-person sessions. I have found that the overall therapy experience is more effective long-term. I'm happy to share my reasons if requested.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
During your first session, you can expect to just talk about what's bringing you to therapy, your therapeutic goals, and desired outcome. You can say as much or as little as you're comfortable sharing initially. The first session is one where we are just focusing on getting to know each other and deciding if we're a good fit. I'll probably ask you for a little bit of background and history, and you can ask me anything you like too! I don't feel that therapy is something that can be done the exact same way for every person who comes seeking support for their own unique reasons, causes, needs, or crisis. To me, the rapport established between therapist and client is the most important factor that leads to therapeutic success. The relationship between you and your therapist, should feel, safe, respectful, trusting, and always non-judgmental. I strive to provide that to all of my client's.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have extensive experience and training in the field of counseling. My therapeutic approach is customized and individualized based on the unique needs of each of my clients. I believe that by connecting the significant dots from our past and present, we can achieve positive growth and move forward with a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. Everyone has the ability to achieve personal growth and happiness through therapy. With open and honest exploration, we can identify the negative, ineffective, or harmful areas in our lives. By locking those doors behind us, the path forward will become clearer and easier to achieve.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
Being a therapist with 30 years of experience in adolescent and adult counseling, I am very fortunate that I've had the opportunities to further my learning and skills and specialize in some more specific modalities and therapeutic approaches. My practice focuses on: Adolescent and young adult counseling******Parent coaching and family relationships******Trauma, acute stress, and PTSD ******Trained EMDR provider******Anxiety, depression, and life transitions I offer therapy sessions in-person in Rockville, Maryland, and online throughout Maryland. I’m available some evenings and some weekends, and I try to remain flexible to meet the scheduling needs of my clients.