Prior to and while attending the University of Northern Colorado, she worked in two different residential treatment centers with children ages 5-12 years with emotional and behavioral concerns.  She learned and used behavioral modification techniques while working with these children. As part of her masters program, Melissa completed an internship at Greeley's Psychiatric Hospital in their Family Recovery Program. During this internship she provided individual and family therapy to adolescents and their families. She facilitated parenting classes and psycho-educational groups for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.

Upon graduating, Melissa accepted a position at Pikes Peak Mental Health, a community mental health center in Colorado Springs, CO.  She spent four years at this center and was apart of the Community and Home-Based team. Initially she served as a Family Preservation therapist, providing in-home family therapy to help children remain in the home with their biological parents. She also assisted in the reunion process when they were returning from out-of-home placements.  This experience taught Melissa how to prepare crisis plans and how to prevent past patterns from continuing, as well as how to respond effectively when a crisis occurred. 

While apart of the Community and Home Based team, Melissa was given the opportunity to learn a behavioral, solution-focused family therapy model called Functional Family Therapy.  This education provided her with evidence based interventions and tools to work with at-risk adolescents and their families.  Pikes Peak Mental Health provided her with the opportunity to work with a variety of clients with a wide range of presenting problems,from anxiety and depression to trauma and bi-polar.  She has several years of experience working with children who have emotional, behavioral and school related concerns, in addition to working with their parents who may be overwhelmed and burnt out.

When working with individual clients, Melissa generally uses Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This approach is more directive and believes that the individual changes because they learn how to think differently and they then act on that knowledge.  Melissa will work collaboratively with her clients to set goals and teach them practical and effective ways to reach them.

Melissa has a strong passion for working with families and couples because of her belief in the family system.  In working with families, Melissa generally uses Structural Family Therapy and Solution Focused Family Therapy.  Through a trusting, therapeutic relationship with the therapist, families are challenged  to look at patterns of interaction and each member's involvement that keeps the family structure in its current state. Once identified, goals are set to change the existing family structure and patterns to more effective and healthier ways of interacting.   

Melissa is excited to be working in the private practice environment and is looking forward to helping individuals and families change their lives to have improved relationships and a more balanced. fulfilling life.