About

Hi, my name is Ruth Mellenthin, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Becoming a therapist has been the culmination of my life experiences and work, some of which included five years’ practicing as a substance abuse counselor, working with adolescents and their families, homeless persons, counseling residents in long term healthcare facilities, community organizing, and as a founder and director of a group home for women. I have extensive experience helping others with depression and anxiety as well as those with chronic physical and mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

My approach to therapy is, first and foremost, to be open minded and listen without judgement, which means l utilize client centered therapy as my primary perspective. I strongly believe in listening and understanding a person’s unique perspective and experiences. I also employ psychodynamic theory quite often, in order to appreciate how someone thinks, and how that affects their feelings.

It is usually important to obtain background information, such as family dynamics, any past trauma, relationship history, and the like – however it is up to the client to decide how much they want to reveal. Together we decide what is relevant to the current challenges; however, whatever the focus, I will always look for strengths and ways to turn difficulties into positive learning experiences. Pain can be essential to growth, but so can joy and laughter. There are great rewards in getting to know oneself better, letting go of things that can hold people back, and being on a journey to different ways of thinking, feeling, and being.