Hello, I’m Melissa, an online (serving Ohio residents) Complex Trauma (also referred to as Developmental Trauma or Relational Trauma) recovery therapist. I specialize in working with adults of all diversities who seek to find happiness and fulfillment in their lives but find themselves overthinking the road to recovery and finding roadblocks in their way. The roadblocks could be depression, anxiety, confusion, low self-esteem/worth, self-hate, anger, low confidence, insecurity and the list goes on and on.

Roadblock symptoms can lead to an overriding uncomfortable feeling of emotional and psychological oppression — meaning you don’t feel in control of your life or your destiny. You have poor boundaries and instead of getting what you want you feel pushed and pulled by the needs, wants and demands of others. Or maybe you don’t even know what it is you want from life because over the years you have never had space to entertain that question. The jumble of all of this can lead to a sense of existential defeat and an attitude that happiness, “just isn’t in the cards” for you.

It’s a lot of thinking in circles.

Most likely you have a history of developmental / complex / relational trauma that took you off your original path.

This could be a history of abuse (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, financial), neglect (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, financial), bullying (school peers, siblings, family, church), disenfranchisement (obstruction of access to equal opportunities), and anything else that disrupted your natural and healthy early emotional and psychological growth and development.

I get it.

More than trauma-informed and trauma-recovered, I consider myself as, “trauma-thrived.” That is to say, after a history of developmental / complex / relational trauma that impeded my emotional and psychological growth I have been able to use my tendency toward “over-thinking” to resolve the roadblocks of my life so that I am now living a self-determined, self-directed, satisfying life of abundant authenticity.

It is possible.

For the past 30+ years I have pursued a trauma recovery journey on both personal and professional levels. I have completed over 15 years of my own personal therapy, seminars, retreats and readings and as a trained and independently licensed clinical social worker in the state of Ohio I have over 25 years of hands-on experience working in the mental health field. That is, I have made it my personal and professional purpose in life to better understanding the why’s and how’s of an “over-thinking” person recovering from developmental / complex / relational trauma.

I have walked the walk.

I believe the horrible sense of dread and alienation that a survivor of developmental / complex / relational trauma feels is the loss of the psychic connection to their higher Self — which is a birthright. I believe it is our birthright to feel, and be, fully embodied in our skin, bones, mind, spirit and Self. Although no two trauma situations are exactly alike, I know what it is to feel lost, groundless, alone, misunderstood and as an outsider in your own body, family, life and in the world at large.

It’s a terrible feeling.

There are many methods, techniques and treatment modalities that can help, but some of the ones that held the biggest impact for me were a combination of broad psycho-education, extensive self-awareness, safe empathetic support, intrepid exploring and gutsy self-expression that made the difference. That, and a lot of “over-thinking.”

Why did “over-thinking” help?

My “over-thinking” (yes, festering, obsessing, analyzing, ruminating!) made the difference because it meant I wasn’t giving up. I wasn’t yet completely conceding to the the dissatisfaction I felt. I was still trying to find answers for why I wasn’t happy, why I wasn’t living the life I wanted for myself and simply why things weren’t the way I wanted them to be. I now call all that “over-thinking” — hope. The “over-thinking,” that is, the notion that I felt compelled to “figure things out” is what kept me going.

I didn’t give up.

My calling now is to encourage “over-thinking” adults to understand, trust, love and HONOR themselves for the uniquely fabulous and inimitable thinking individual they are. And you are!

As with many therapists of today, I practice an eclectic psychotherapeutic style that is shaped by various theories — but for me the main emphasis is always with Humanism. Humanism is the angle of seeing each individual as uniquely extraordinary in the value and worth they bring to the world and viewing each individual as patently capable of owning and expressing their own particular and meaningful talent that is special in the world. This means my approach is client-centered, empathic, compassionate and empowering as I strive to encourage realization of self-determination and self-actualization.

Specifically, I appreciate a therapy that strives to get to the bottom of things by exploring significant and impactful developmental memories and events through lenses of inner child work, parts works, emotional awareness, shadow work, symbolism, dreamwork, mindfulness, somatic awareness, self-care, grief-work and logic. I like to look deeper at the underlying causes so I can actually treat them and not just bandage up the wounds that will continue bleeding until they are tended to properly.

My approach to therapy is not to talk at you but to talk with you and to work with you and to walk the long and sometimes lonely path with you.

I am humbled by, and proud of, my complex trauma recovery. As much as I thought about it, and hoped about it, I had many days of discouragement when I thought I would never be free of its oppression. They call that the Dark Night of the Soul. I now know it’s a part of the journey, not the whole journey, and it can be survived. With help, insight, perseverance, and the hope of what others call, “over-thinking” I found my way — and you can find yours too.

The Authentic Way out is Through

Please don’t feel hopeless or alone. I would love to connect with you to see if we would be a good therapeutic match for your recovery and I offer a FREE 15-minute telephone consultation for that purpose. If we find ourselves a good fit we can set up an online get-together where we meet virtually for as many, or as few, sessions as you like. You are always in control. Thank you for your interest in who I am and I wish you abundant moments of peace and calm on your path to living a life you want and love.