Melissa is passionate about how psychotherapy can contribute to healing and to improving the quality of life of individuals, relationships, and communities. Melissa (she/her) uses multicultural and feminist perspectives, and she believes that people need to be believed, understood, and accepted as we are. From this starting point, a collaborative relationship in which a client makes empowered decisions about change directs the course of psychotherapy. She tends to use cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, solution-focused, and acceptance-based interventions tailored to clients’ circumstances.

 

Melissa has experience working with people who want support or to make changes related to depression and anxiety, trauma- and stress-related concerns, relationship concerns, adjustment, grief and loss, minority stress, and sexual, gender, and other identity-related concerns. She is passionate about working with LGBTQIA clients and is an advocate to those who are exploring gender identity, including transition support. Melissa is Kink-Aware and affirming of the diverse ways people know themselves in relationships and identities, including in consensual non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships.

 

Melissa earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Michigan University in 2009 and has been a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Michigan since 2011. Her multicultural and intersectional perspective grew on internship at Michigan State University’s Multi-Ethnic Counseling Center Alliance, and her post-doctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology shaped her integrative health perspective. In addition to psychotherapy, Melissa works as a college instructor and mentors students to create empowering contexts for growth and learning. Aware of how powerfully well-being is influenced by broader social and legal contexts, Melissa also advocates for public policy and cultural change.