Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.My Approach to Helping
Hi there, I'm Melanie Nichols,
My life philosophy is to Be Kind, Listen and Try to Help. I've been licensed since 2015 as a Marriage and Family Therapist #87226. I have an MA in Psychology with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy and a BS in Occupational Therapy. I have certifications in EMDR, EFT, and CBT. I have specialized in trauma, post-traumatic stress, and readjustment for military, first responders and civilian populations. My Christian beliefs are profound in my daily life, and I'm a volunteer Law Enforcement Community Chaplain helping those experiencing the worst day of their life often. I'm a member of my church's worship team.
I work with issues of Depression, Anxiety, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, Traumatic Brain Injury, Childhood Attachment, and Trauma that affects adulthood. I have specialized in Physical Injuries, Chronic Medical challenges, and Caregiver support. I have over 30 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist. My professional training as a Marriage and Family Therapist has given me tools to help those struggling with what the world throws at us, including Big Traumas and Little Traumas. EMDR involves a variety of desensitization methods (eye movement, bilateral tapping) for trauma processing. Trauma stops the processing like gears stuck in a machine. EMDR helps get the gears moving again and processing. Supportive therapy Involves active listening, validating feelings, reflecting on content, providing feedback/guidance, and assigning homework. Cognitive-behavior therapy involves building self-awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviors and how they interact with each other. Emotionally Focused therapy consists in identifying and breaking the cycle of dysfunctional communication between couples. Solution Focused Therapy: involves identifying goals, researching solutions and implementing them (easier said than done!) Some of the recurring themes I have noticed in my practice have been childhood trauma and attachment issues and how they can either strengthen or weaken resiliency in individuals in adulthood.