“The attempt to escape from pain, is what creates more pain.” - Gabor Mate
Hi, and welcome to my home on the web. My hope is that these pages will give you a sense of who I am and how I might be able to help. You are already taking a first step towards healing, relief, and support. I look forward to walking alongside you as you take many more.
About Therapy with Melanie
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Laid Back and Casual
My office and style is intentionally cozy and comfy so that you can let down your guard and do the work you’ve come to do. Clients often tell me I’m the therapist for people who don’t like therapists.
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Welcoming to All
This is a place for all people to find healing. I love working with clients of all genders, races, sexual orientations, religions or lack thereof, abilities, backgrounds, etc. And I have the training and experience to do so in a way that is honoring of your culture and identities.
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Introspective
As we get to know each other, I’ll be asking you to dive a little deeper into your thoughts, feelings, and how you see yourself and the world. Sometimes this can be uncomfortable, so we will go at your pace. This is where the magic of therapy happens.
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Practical
Therapy with me isn’t just navel-gazing. You’re going to gain practical tools to help your situation from day one. This means you will have the option of homework. The more you practice outside of our sessions, the more benefit you’ll reap.
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Trauma Informed
At my core, I’m a trauma therapist. There isn’t a place I’m unwilling to go with you in the name of healing. I also know that some folks don’t want to or need to go to those depths, and that’s ok. My training and experience in trauma benefits all of my clients because helping people learn to hold big emotions, and finding a pace that is both effective and feels safe are some of my best things.
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Holistic and Integrative
Holistic: This means that I see you as a whole person - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational - and I see your problems within the context of your life.
Integrative: This means that I use a variety of techniques to support our work in reaching your goals. If you’re open to it, that may include EMDR, IFS, guided meditations, visualizations, hypnotherapy, movement, writing, etc.