Melissa completed her Master’s in Social Work at Long Island University, and has 4 years of experience providing counseling. Melissa has worked with children as young as 5 years old, adolescents, teenagers, and adults. She continued her training at Turtle Hook Middle School, running weekly groups and meetings with students one-on-one to assist with crises and bullying issues. Melissa utilizes CBT and a person-centered approach when working with clients depending on their specific struggles and presenting issues. She has worked with populations with various mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar, BPD, patients with grief, and some trauma patients. Melissa creates a comfortable environment for patients by meeting the patients where they are at in a completely judgement free-zone. She is a very empathetic listener and strives to help clients feel heard, justified, and that they are in a safe space. Melissa helps clients with self- actualization and focuses on developing a therapeutic bond while working towards the client’s therapy goals.