My name is Jessica Melendez and I will be working with you as a clinician in training.  My career experience so far has led me from EMS to working in a non-profit as a supervisor for Medicaid programs for foster youth, to being a teaching assistant and training to become a mental health counselor. From my experience, I’ve seen resilience in people in many different contexts, which inspired me to pursue this work. Challenges happen, big or small, normative or traumatic, and people struggle. But struggling isn’t an indicator of weakness, struggling is an indicator that you are still trying. I’ve learned this in my years serving and helping people: people generally want to do their best and it is normal to need support to overcome challenges or meet your goals., Furthermore, I also have an interest in trauma disorders and their treatments, I am currently completing training for will begin EMDR training in November. It is important to me to have an integrative approach to adapt to my client's needs. In addition to these modalities, I am also trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBT skills, and Motivational Interviewing. I believe in meeting people where they are and taking a collaborative approach to therapy. You are the expert in your experience and I am committed to working with you on the journey to actualize the life you want to live.