Melissa is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and has earned degrees in Human Development and Family Sciences along with Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has extensive experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. Melissa has excelled in her past roles as a lead teacher, school counselor, and most recently an inpatient therapist at a residential treatment center for eating disorders. Melissa specializes in treating a variety of mental health conditions including, but not limited to Anxiety, Depression, Disordered Eating, ADHD, Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Trauma, Panic Disorders, Grief, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, LGBTQIA+ Issues, Relationship Stressors, Parenting Concerns and Family Concerns. Melissa enjoys and specializes in working with teenagers, young adults, and families. Melissa uses evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to assist her clients with their healing journey. These strategies allow clients to better understand, cope with and process emotions and memories tied to traumatic events which may be holding them back from living their authentic life. Melissa believes that family involvement is a key component to the therapy process in order to treat an individual in totality. Each person has the power to heal and is the expert about their own life. Melissa offers tools and skills in a compassionate and individualized way throughout the healing journey. She is a direct communicator and solutions-focused while being incredibly supportive and caring. Melissa works with her clients as a nonjudgmental ally and together will work with them to rebuild or recreate new life paths with endless possibilities of happiness, peace and tranquility.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The intake, or first session, usually serves as a time for us to get some extensive details about family/medical history, and what issues at hand brought you into therapy. We will create a treatment plan, including frequency, of therapy going forward.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I utilize the following techniques: experiential, DBT, CBT, TF-CBT, ACT, and EMDR. As a therapist, I have been described as gentle and compassionate, but I will challenge you to be your best self. I occasionally will give you 'homework' if there is a therapeutic activity I believe you can benefit from. I thoroughly subscribe to the belief that, "Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have." Sometimes I have some tools in my kit that I can offer you to achieve your highest potential.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My biggest strengths as a therapist are that I have strong empathy, compassion, and believe in your strengths. Areas/mental health diagnosis I feel I am best at treating include: trauma, adjustment, anxiety, depression, grief, OCD,vand disordered eating.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
Melissa is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas and has earned degrees in Human Development and Family Sciences along with Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has extensive experience working with adolescents, adults, and families. Melissa has excelled in her past roles as a lead teacher, school counselor, and most recently an inpatient therapist at a residential treatment center for eating disorders. Melissa specializes in treating a variety of mental health conditions including, but not limited to Anxiety, Depression, Disordered Eating, ADHD, Mood Disorders, Trauma, Panic Disorders, Grief, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, LGBTQIA+ Issues, Relationship Stressors, Parenting Concerns and Family Concerns. Melissa enjoys and specializes in working with teenagers, young adults, and families. Melissa uses evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to assist her clients with their healing journey. These strategies allow clients to better understand, cope with and process emotions and memories tied to traumatic events which may be holding them back from living their authentic life. Melissa believes that family involvement is a key component to the therapy process in order to treat an individual in totality. Each person has the power to heal and is the expert about their own life. Melissa offers tools and skills in a compassionate and individualized way throughout the healing journey. She is a direct communicator and solutions-focused while being incredibly supportive and caring. Melissa works with her clients as a nonjudgmental ally and together will work with them to rebuild or recreate new life paths with endless possibilities of happiness, peace and tranquility.