Melanie Grace Gerald
About
Are you looking for a safe space in which you can be understood and supported? If the answer is "yes", please read on... My name is Melanie.
My style is conversational; I love to use story-telling and seek to aid people in the development of spiritual and self-care practices.
My strengths-based approach to therapy positions you as the expert in your own life. I welcome people struggling with mood disorders, trauma, grief/loss, complex medical conditions, and addiction disorders. We will work together to break down the issues that have grown so big that they have become unmanageable. I want to help you feel empowered and centered. You know your problems. I can help you develop solutions.
First session
The most important part of the first session is for you to check me out. Do I seem like a good fit? The therapeutic relationship is often the most transformational tool in this process. I need to be someone you think you can trust with your vulnerability. I tend to ask a lot of questions about what your are struggling with now, what your history entails, and anything else that will help me begin to understand the context of your current problems.
Strengths
I have a lot of experience in the health care system- navigating insurance companies, behavioral health levels of care, self-management of physical health conditions and community resources that help support people in need. My style of practice is conversational. I love hearing stories and I love telling stories. Stories allow us to see connections we may never have imagined existed. They stimulate imagination which is a powerful tool when we feel stuck. Everything has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I am good at helping people discover their next chapter.
Ideal clients
I welcome black and brown people, queer people, and people belonging to marginalized groups. I am also well-positioned to serve people of West Indian descent and first-generation Americans.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I'm keenly interested in how your past has added to your current distress. My strengths-based approach to therapy positions you as the expert in your own life. You know the problems, and I can help you develop the solutions.
Location
Virtual sessions