Melissa Fowler

Melissa specializes in helping develop skills of reflection, storytelling, and play whether it be with ourselves or as a caregiver. Melissa earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California and has extensive experience in trauma therapy and assessment with adults and families.

Melissa is a part-time home educator and specials needs parent. She is constantly learning how to manage the evolving challenges related to being a special needs family. She has a conviction that families need skills and support so they can cope and survive. She loves pottery, sketching and creating ethnic comfort foods to share and enjoy with others. 

I want to help those that are at the end of themselves, those that are struggling with day to day life or situations that are pushing them beyond their limits: work demands, relationship dynamics, chronic stress or caregiving pressures.

My work typically involves wondering together and reflecting about situations and the dynamics that are making things hard. I like to sketch and draw to illustrate things we are talking about. I love working with those that wonder if things would be more tolerable if they themselves could just ___ … (look at things differently, work on situations from the past that keep coming up, calm down better, or stop sleeping so much or avoiding by scrolling or  ___ (fill in the blank) so much.

You can go hear tips and tricks on the internet and the endless talking to you about how to be feel better.  But those things didn’t change me.  Sure, they help and give good starting points.  What I needed and continue to need is the person that will be with me in the trenches, helping me see and hear what’s going on within me and around me.  But I want to be the flesh and bone that helps you sort and organize and see what can work with you and your unique temperament and history.  I might bring in worksheets or concrete ideas and tools, but they will be curated to you, with consideration of your capacity and situation.  You can give and get feedback.  

It’s a conversation.  We change through relationship and exchange/interchange itself, not through knowledge alone.

You don’t do this kind of work on your own.  The work of change.  You do it in conversation - most easily with someone who is a specifically skilled, trained person in relating and hearing and listening so as to reflect back and think with you to form a new perspective or way of looking at yourself and situations that may shift things for you and create change.

I’m not here to shame you or tell you what you’re doing wrong that is making things hard.  There are so many good reasons we don’t get help:  fear of blame and shame, fear of revisiting the past, thinking we are worse than anyone else, afraid that asking for help means failure, hopeless that anything can change or anyone can truly understand. 

This is how it works when we work together.  We can meet for 6-8 sessions or more; it doesn’t have to be long to get some respite and care for the adulting tasks you are in the midst of.

You share what you can about your situation - the dynamics (the thoughts, feelings and situations) that are getting you stuck.  

We reflect and wonder together, getting curious about what is happening and curious about what we might be able to do differently to shift situations that keep repeating and restricting the connection we want with ourselves, our children and family.  You try stuff out or let ideas percolate and then you come back and we talk about it together… with curiosity and compassion.  And then we do it again the next time.  

It’s that simple.

INTAKE APPOINTMENT (90 MINUTES)- $250

SESSION COST (50 MINUTES)- $145

*Insurance is not accepted at this time. A superbill can provided upon request to submit to your insurance.