Originally planning to pursue a career in education, Melissa earned a B.A. in English Literature. After several years of work experience in various capacities, much of which involved working with teenagers and pre-teens, Melissa realized that her greater passion lay in studying the human condition and processes. Melissa returned to the University of Nevada from 2011 to 2013, when she earned her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Prior to receiving her MFT-Intern license, Melissa completed her practicum working with veterans at the Reno Veteran’s Center. Her early work as an MFT-Intern saw her working with people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction issues. Melissa also spent a considerable amount of time at the start of her career working with the underserved populations in Nevada’s rural communities.
In 2015, Melissa moved to Santa Barbara, California, where she worked with youths in the public school system. Her work at the school district involved collaboration with students, faculty, administration, and parents to create solutions to the unique issues children face in school. While living in Santa Barbara, Melissa and her husband adopted a wonderful baby daughter to compliment her high-school aged son.
2016 brought Melissa and her family back home to Reno, where she returned to working in Nevada’s underserved rural communities. This stretch of Melissa’s MFT Internship saw her working with families, couples, and children of all ages. Her passion for working with Nevada’s youth led her back to the public school system, where her work focused on at-risk adolescents and their relationships with family, faculty, and administration. Melissa’s return to Reno also saw her adopting a second child – the biological brother of her adopted daughter!
Melissa has a true passion for her work as an MFT, and believes that all of her clients deserve an empathic, professional approach. Working with people to identify and treat issues large and small provides her with great satisfaction. Even in her short career as an MFT, Melissa has developed extensive knowledge and experience working with individuals from adolescents to adults, as well as couples and families.