LMHC, 7 years of experience
I have my PhD in marriage and family therapy and I am a licensed mental health counselor for individuals, couples and families. I offer a non-judgmental space to talk, set goals and make progress. What’s on your mind matters. I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, relationship issues, maternal mental health, postpartum depression. My goal is to help you empower yourself by building self-confidence, learning how to cope with stress and forming healthy relationships. Together we will set clear steps to bring you towards a future that feels satisfying and free.
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
I believe in a person-centered approach to therapy, meaning your therapy experience will fit you. Building a trusting and open therapy relationship is very important to me. This will allow us to openly communicate, explore new ideas and practice new skills to help you begin to feel better.
Don't let the struggle become your identity. Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start. I aim to to provide a safe and comfortable place; without judgment or pressure. I believe people are the experts in their own lives and I look forward to being a part of their journey to help them when they need. During sessions, I am realistic and enjoy working collaboratively with clients to provide new insights and coping skills.
As a feminist therapist I use an integrative approach to psychotherapy that focuses on the challenges that clients face as a result of bias, stereotyping, oppression, discrimination, and other factors, and how those stressors can negatively affect their mental health. The therapeutic relationship, I forge is based on equality between myself and the client, and their ability to forge an authentic connection, helps clients understand some of the social factors that may contribute to their mental-health concerns, discover and claim their unique identity, and uncover and build on their personal strengths to advance their own lives and those of others.
As a CBT therapist, therapy will be structured, didactic, and goal-oriented. The approach is hands-on and practical wherein the you and myself work in a collaborative manner with the goal of modifying patterns of thinking and behavior to bring about a beneficial change
As a family therapist, I focus on the family as a whole unit. A central tenet of this approach is that the family is an emotional unit and individual behavior must be considered from the context of the family. In this approach, people are influenced by their family but each person also influence their entire family.
As a trauma-informed therapist I have knowledge and training on the effects of trauma and how to help clients cope with it. I am able to create a safe and compassionate environment for therapy and support the client in their recovery and healing.
This therapeutic intervention involves myself by providing clients with information about their diagnosis, symptoms, or the method of treatment used. It is more than simply sharing information with the client; psychoeducation refers to a structured and specific method of providing knowledge. The goal of psychoeducation is to help the client understand and cope with their diagnoses as well as improve treatment.
4 ratings with written reviews
May 1, 2025
When we first started seeing Melina, we were struggling. Communication felt impossible, and we weren’t sure if we could continue together. Melina gave us structured space to work through our issues. She asked the right questions, kept us accountable, and helped us find tools we can use in conflict resolution. Now, we feel more connected and more like a team. Our relationship is stronger—and I’m genuinely grateful for Melina’s guidance and support through this process.
April 16, 2025
thank you
March 22, 2025
My fist time in therapy and Melina made me feel very comfortable. Looking forward to future sessions