Melissa West

My name is Melissa and I am passionate about mental health, healing, and hope. I have worked as a counselor for 7 years. I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults with various diagnoses and in a variety of settings. I view counseling as a safe place and myself as a safe person who can handle talking about tough stuff. Counseling is not polite conversation. I start with developing emotional safety, educating clients about mental health and creating a better understanding of what is going on with them, processing their experiences, and developing a "toolbox" to help them improve their lives. I believe that "the only way out is through" and that to tackle struggles, a comprehensive approach is needed to look at family history, medical history, social influences, spiritual influences, and current level of functioning. I focus on understanding emotions- why we have them, what they tell us, and how to handle a variety of difficult emotions. I believe in hope and the power of positive thinking.