A Letter From Melissa

Hi, I’m Melissa. I work with high‑stakes, high‑achieving professionals who look like they’re holding it all together—but feel exhausted, anxious, or numb underneath.

My practice is built for perfectionists, helpers, and “Type A” folks who are used to pushing through, not slowing down. In our work together, you don’t have to downplay how intense your job is or how much you carry for other people. We name it, make room for it, and then actually do something about it.

I most often work with:

• High‑risk, high‑responsibility professionals (healthcare, first responders, legal, finance, leadership).

• People whose boundaries get blurred by their work: always on call, always available, always “the strong one.”

• Parents and partners who feel guilty about long hours, emotional fatigue, or feeling “checked out” at home.

• High achievers who are married to their job and aren’t sure what a sustainable life would even look like.

Whether it’s vicarious trauma, burnout, marital strain, dating while anxiously attached, or feeling like you’re never enough, I’m not afraid to sit in the deep end with you.

My work is grounded in trauma‑informed care and The Polyvagal Theory, which means we pay close attention to what’s happening in your nervous system, not just in your thoughts in your head. Chronic stress and trauma often show up as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses, which can drive anxiety, depression, and dissociation.

I specialize in EMDR Therapy Intensives for high‑achieving adults who want focused, deep work in a contained time frame. In our sessions, whether intensive or ongoing, we collaborate to:

• Identify past experiences and patterns that keep getting triggered in your current life.

• Help your nervous system find safety and regulation, so you’re not stuck in constant overdrive or shutdown.

• Set boundaries and goals that are actually workable in a high‑pressure life.

• Challenge old beliefs (“I’m failing,” “I’m too much,” “I can’t stop”) and build a more grounded sense of self.

As an EMDRIA Approved Consultant™, I also support other therapists in using EMDR ethically and effectively, and I bring that same level of care and precision to my client work.

Because trauma and anxiety live in the body, not just in the mind, I integrate grounding and somatic tools into our work. This might look like breath work, gentle yoga or movement, mindfulness, and other practices that help your body learn it’s allowed to come out of survival mode.

We always move at your nervous system’s pace, no forcing, no flooding, no performance required.

A bit about me:

My friends describe me as enthusiastic, passionate, and genuinely invested in the people I care about. I’m a retired Division I athlete, a mom of two young kids, and the spouse of a first responder—so I understand high‑stakes work, odd hours, and the impact they can have at home.

When I’m not seeing clients, you’ll probably find me hanging out with my family, running with my local run club, or playing with our Goldendoodle, Rosie.

If you want updates on intensives, groups, trainings, and resources, you can subscribe to my monthly email list, I pack it with things I actually use with clients and in my own life.

– Melissa