Melissa Strobel
If you’ve felt let down by talk therapy or you’re unsure where to start, you are in the right place. I offer a mix of EMDR, IFS informed approaches, CBT, and DBT to help you understand what’s happening inside while also giving you practical tools you can start using immediately. I believe healing happens when we combine insight with action. EMDR and IFS-informed approaches help us work through the deeper emotional layers, while CBT and DBT provide skills for managing anxiety, tolerating distress, and dealing with daily stressors.
First session
I want this space to feel safe, comfortable, and human. You’re welcome to settle in with your favorite drink, find a quiet and confidential place for sessions, and bring a notebook or journal if that helps you reflect. The intake is a chance for us to get to know each other, build rapport, and create a clear plan for our work together.
Strengths
I aim for sessions to feel grounded, collaborative, and comfortable. Settle in with your favorite drink or blanket, and we’ll create a space where curiosity and clarity guide the work. During our first session, we will start building rapport and outline what our work together will look like together. We’ll identify what you want to change and build a plan that feels realistic and empowering. I often ask, “If things felt better six months from now, what would be different?” to help clarify your goals.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who’s ready to engage in the therapy process with openness and curiosity. Many of the people I work with are navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or major life transitions, and come from all walks of life. Clients tend to do well with me when they’re willing to explore their inner world and try new skills. I bring a compassionate and approachable presence to sessions and genuinely enjoy helping clients clarify their goals and move toward meaningful change.
Treatment methods
EMDR
When COVID paused the world in 2020, I chose to use that time intentionally and became fully EMDR trained. I’m deeply passionate about EMDR therapy and have been privileged to witness meaningful, lasting healing in the clients I serve. In our work together, EMDR helps us process the experiences and emotional patterns that still feel “stuck” in your nervous system. I guide you through each phase at a pace that feels safe and steady, using bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess what’s been overwhelming. Clients often describe EMDR as a way to finally move through things they’ve carried for years, without having to relive every detail.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
EMDR works best when we also address the different parts of self that show up during healing. Using IFS informed approaches, I help you identify and understand these parts such as the ones that try to protect you, the ones that feel anxious, and the ones that hold past experiences. This helps EMDR feel safer, more organized, and more effective because we’re working with your whole internal system and not just the memory itself.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
DBT gives us practical tools for managing intense emotions and staying within our window of tolerance. I use DBT skills to help you slow down, regulate your nervous system, and stay grounded enough to process what comes up in therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
EMDR naturally integrates CBT when we’re working with negative cognitions. I use CBT to help you notice the beliefs that keep you stuck and gently replace them with more accurate and supportive cognitions.
Location
Virtual sessions
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Licensed in
- ArizonaLicense LPC-23373