I am licensed in with 6 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with coping with addictions, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, & intimacy related issues. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.
If you are ready to do the work, I am ready to walk with you during your healing journey. Solution Focused Brief Therapy is a great tool that is a strengths based approach, focusing on the current circumstances you are in while also exploring how to start steps towards your goals. Socratic dialogue is sometimes used during therapy to help you explore thoughts and feelings more, especially if you are at a stuck point. Sometimes Socratic Dialogue feels less empathetic, it has the purpose of helping you shift perspective or trust yourself to find solutions. Examples of Socratic Dialogue can include: How do you know? Can you give me an example of that? What do you mean by that? What would be the consequences of that? What is the counterargument? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the best description for this modality comes from Healthline.com: "This core principle underlies acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). ACT views “negative” emotions and experiences as part of life. Trying to avoid them can lead to unhelpful or unproductive behaviors. ACT (pronounced “act”) helps you accept the reality of these experiences and commit to pursuing your values." (www.Healthline.com). My treatment focus is client centered, we will work towards your goals (of course you have to do the work).
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Family conflicts, Grief, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Aging and geriatric issues, Attachment issues, Caregiver issues and stress, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Dependent personality, Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Hospice and end-of-life counseling, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Mood disorders, Narcissism, Personality disorders, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Social anxiety and phobia, Traumatic brain injury, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
TX LCSW 67485
CA LCSW 120145
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Melissa Birdwell. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Melissa Birdwell is a very kind and listens very well. She is very flexible when it comes to scheduling and sometimes canceling sessions. She is takes a lot of time listening to my problems and gives very informative and helpful ways of helping me through them. She also gives recommendations of resources outside of therapy such as books, exercises, and healthy methods of coping. She is always there to help whenever I need it and never makes me feel uncomfortable with talking about very personal subjects. She is an amazing person and a wonderful therapist.
Written on Aug 05, 2024 after therapy with Melissa for 6 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and compassion fatigue