(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello, I'm Melissa, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Yoga Instructor licensed in New York and New Jersey. I am passionate about helping individuals heal from childhood trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, and life transitions through a compassionate, trauma-informed approach. I believe healing happens when we address both the mind and body. My work integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, somatic techniques, and nervous system regulation strategies to help clients better understand themselves, develop healthier coping skills, and create meaningful, lasting change. As a yoga instructor, I also recognize the important connection between emotional well-being and physical experiences, and I incorporate mind-body awareness when appropriate.
My goal as your therapist is to provide a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you feel safe exploring challenges, building resilience, and reconnecting with your strengths. Whether you're struggling with the effects of childhood trauma, high-functioning anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, attachment wounds, low self-worth, or burnout, I am here to support you on your journey toward healing and growth.
Clients often appreciate my ability to help them connect the dots between past experiences and present-day challenges while providing practical tools they can use in everyday life. I take a trauma-informed and holistic approach, recognizing the connection between thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and life experiences. My background as both a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Yoga Instructor allows me to incorporate mind-body awareness and nervous system regulation strategies when appropriate. I am particularly skilled at helping individuals navigate childhood trauma, complex PTSD (C-PTSD), anxiety, chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, people-pleasing, perfectionism, attachment wounds, and low self-worth. My goal is to help clients gain insight, strengthen emotional regulation, build resilience, and develop healthier patterns that support long-term healing and growth. I believe therapy should feel both supportive and empowering. While I provide a compassionate space to process difficult experiences, I also encourage clients to recognize their strengths, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward creating the life they want.
My ideal client is someone who is committed to the therapeutic process, willing to be hands-on in their personal growth, and open to exploring new ways of thinking, being, and doing. They are motivated to actively engage both in and outside of sessions; value self-reflection and skill-building; and are ready to challenge patterns to create meaningful, lasting change in their lives.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I utilizes CBT to help clients identify and challenge maladaptive thought patterns impacting emotions and behaviors. Treatment includes cognitive restructuring, behavioral interventions, and skill-building to improve coping and functioning. Emphasis is placed on skill application outside of sessions and relapse prevention.
Compassion Focused
This is on teaching clients how to respond to themselves with kindness, understanding, and emotional regulation, rather than harsh judgment. Interventions often include mindfulness, compassionate imagery, and skills to strengthen a sense of safety and self-soothing.
Eclectic
I focus on tailoring interventions to best support the client’s goals, symptoms, and preferences rather than using a single fixed approach. Treatment may integrate modalities such as CBT, DBT, ERP, somatic-based interventions, and humanistic approaches to provide individualized, comprehensive care.