About

Melissa is the Founder of SCAT and a licensed Psychotherapist, Transpersonal Coach, EMDR Specialist and Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist serving individuals, adolescents, couples, and families. She has worked as a therapist in various capacities since 1992. While she describes her treatment model as eclectic, she uses a psychodynamic approach with her clients most often. The basis of a psychodynamic perspective involves diving into unconscious psychological processes (for example, wishes and fears of which we’re not fully aware) in order to explore childhood experiences which are crucial in shaping the adult personality. Melissa uses various techniques, like EMDR, to bring unconscious beliefs to the surface in order to rewire the brain and thus help clients change those behaviors that no longer serve them. These tools work best with those suffering from addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma and stress-related illnesses. For those who are interested, Melissa also offers heart-centered hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a safe process to access inner strength and wisdom while in a relaxed state. Conducting psychotherapy in a hypnotic state allows one to bypass their mental defenses and go straight to the source of their pain. Clients with treatment-resistant depression, trauma/PTSD and psychosomatic complaints report greater results following hypnotherapy sessions. Melissa received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated cum laude and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Psi Chi National Honor Societies. Her undergraduate honors thesis was later published in two psychology journals. In 1992, Melissa graduated with an M.S.W. from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Melissa learned her clinical skills during her internship at the Institute for Juvenile Research wherein she was trained in the Internal Family Systems Model by its founder, Dick Schwartz.