At Green Leaf, Melissa works with children and their families to address problematic emotional expression, anxiety, and depression. She teaches children how to manage their emotional experiences as well as helps them develop skills to manage their behaviors and responsibilities by building their executive functioning skills. She is experienced in treating challenges related to ADHD in children. Her approach builds confidence and self-esteem in her clients. Melissa works closely with parents and families of her younger clients to bridge the gap between therapy sessions and home. She is skilled at addressing difficult topics with children such as trauma, grief, and loss and supports this work by giving parents the tools they need to respond to their child's emotional experiences. 

 

In addition to working with children, Melissa has experience treating adults in a wide variety of situations, including depression and anxiety as well as those who are coping with chronic illness or caregivers who are taking care of an ill loved one. Melissa also treats women experiencing issues related to pregnancy or perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Melissa's therapeutic interventions combine cognitive, somatic (body-based), and behavioral methods. Her work includes CBT, mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing. She also incorporates play-based, movement, and expressive art interventions into her sessions, when helpful, to assist her clients in meeting their goals. Melissa is supervised by fellow Green Leaf clinician, Sandra Concannon, LMFT 52807.