About Melanie

I first felt a call to the counseling field during high school, with a desire for purpose and helping others. I earned my BA in Psychology at UC Santa Cruz, and then graduated with my MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University in 2009. I was especially drawn to the holistic program, and a therapeutic approach that sees the Whole You, not just how you might fit into any particular textbook theory.

I began seeing clients in 2008 and fell in love watching my clients blossom out of stressful situations through our work together. While I was promoted to Clinical Director at Almaden Valley Counseling Service, I ultimately felt the need to focus my time on serving clients directly, and invested my energy full time in Private Practice.

I am in the process of education to specialize in supporting clients with chronic illness, particularly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and their family members. I also enjoy assisting the process of Divorce Recovery.

When not counseling, I crochet, play ice hockey and run, do logic puzzles, and spend time with loved ones.

Further Education and Training
  • Ehlers-Danlos Society ECHO Allied Health Professionals Training: Introduction to EDS and HSD, Comorbidities in EDS and HSD, Neurological Issues
  • Ehlers-Danlos Society ECHO Diet and Nutrition
  • ACE Certified Health Coach
  • Professional Training in the Hakomi Method: Mindfulness-Based Experiential Psychotherapy
  • Advanced Professional Training in the Hakomi Method
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
  • Applying DBT for Client Wellness and Recovery
  • Divorce Options
  • From Divorce Talk to Solution Talk: Solution Focused Brief Therapy with the Most Trying of Couples Sessions
  • Working with High Conflict Couples in Divorce and Custody Situations
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Forgive for Good
  • Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: The Science of Love and Bonding
  • Creative Ways of Working with Trauma
  • Gender Affirmative Therapy and Trans Clients
  • Therapeutic Goals for Adolescents in Crisis
  • Cyber Society: The Perils and Pitfalls of a Wired Culture
  • Online Compulsivity
  • Introduction to Clinical Hypnosis
  • Core Elements in Responding to Mental Health Crises
  • Yin Yoga Teacher Training
  • Neuroscience of Yoga in Trauma
  • Moto-Ki Healing Level 2 Certification
  • Anti-Racism Training
  • Science of Intuition
  • Healing from the Trauma of Infidelity
  • Internal Family Systems Foundations of the Model
Authorships
  • Final Integrative Project: The Work of Life’s Un-grieved Losses
  • My blog articles
Community Involvement
  • Allied Health Professional, Ehlers-Danlos Society
  • South Bay Mental Health Professionals member
  • Self-Employed, Self-Empowered Meetup group leader
  • Divorce Recovery presenter (Continuing Education Provider)
  • Unstoppable Women of Silicon Valley Member
  • Team in Training participant and fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
  • Start! Training participant and fundraiser for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association
  • Breathe California fundraiser
  • Synesthesia research contributor, UC Berkeley and others
  • Synesthesia discussion speaker, Santa Cruz Public Library
  • Thrive The Way You Are Member
  • Mentor, UC Santa Cruz, Stevenson College