Hey there, my name is Melissa. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and I work with clients with eating disorders, chronic illness, anxiety, trauma, women's issues and life transitions. Many times we may not be aware of how certain situations have impacted us. We may even feel that we have dealt with things cognitively; however, our actions and emotions may not align. I work from a trauma-focused lens which means that I believe that we have all had our fair share of difficulties that are impacting our present-day thoughts, emotions and behaviors. I work with clients to address past, present and future struggles to have a more adaptive perspective. Resiliency is defined as "the ability to bounce back from difficulties". I believe that we all have an inner resilience that we just need to uncover. Sometimes we may even feel that we are almost forced to be resilient; however, we may just be in survival mode. Resilience doesn't mean that you always have to be strong and it also doesn't mean that you have to go through things alone. Life has a lot of highs and lows and many times the lows are things that are outside of our control. This can leave us leaving us feeling helpless, hopeless, anxious, depressed and frustrated. This may lead to having difficulty with intrusive thoughts and to manage these thoughts you may end up using unhealthy coping mechanisms. Whether you are dealing with eating disorder thoughts and behaviors, anxiety that is impacting your functioning, or struggles with managing frustrations regarding difficulties with chronic illness, I can help guide you to uncover your inner resilience and feel that you are thriving; rather than, just surviving.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In the initial session, we will discuss why you are seeking services, identify treatment goals, and identify if we are a good fit. As your therapist, I will provide you with a safe space to be able to explore distressing thoughts and emotions and identifying what has been triggering them. Life is not black or white and sometimes we get caught up in "all or nothing" thinking. I can help challenge you to see the gray area. I believe that my clients are the experts of their own lives. I will be there to help guide you on the path to reaching your therapeutic goals. I am trained in EMDR and also utilize DBT and many mindfulness techniques in sessions.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

As a person who has dealt with chronic illness my whole life and has been in recovery from my eating disorder in the past, I understand firsthand the struggles that come along. I strive to make sessions genuine and provide clients with a nonjudgemental space to be able to feel heard and work through current struggles. I am HAES-aligned and trained in EMDR.

About Melissa Koway-Montana