About Melissa (She/Her)
I am originally from Chicago and moved to Portland in 1998. I have tremendous empathy for the transplant experience and have been here long enough to call Oregon home. 
I am a licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. I graduated from the Marriage, Couples and Family Therapy Masters Program at Lewis and Clark College in 2007 and have worked with individuals, couples and families in a variety of settings from residential treatment to research.
I draw from Systemic, Emotionally-Focussed (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment (ACT), and Narrative theories in my work, and am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as Telemental Health (online therapy). I begin therapy with creating a warm relationship as I get to know your current concern and past relationships. Consistent with Interpersonal Neurobiology theory, I believe that emotional patterns are set early on in our brains by the relationships most important to us as we grow up. I investigate context and offer alternatives to unsatisfying patterns as we use current life examples and plan for long-term goals.
I am happy to answer questions you may have about me in order to feel comfortable beginning treatment.