Elle Ortega

Hello and welcome. My name is Melissa "Elle" Ortega (she/her). I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW 109661) and a highly skilled and compassionate clinician. I bring with me to Headway and most importantly, my patients, a near decade-long history of hospital-based care as a medical social worker, supporting patients and their families in both in-patient care and outpatient care clinics including in-patient psychiatry, emergency medicine, ICU, urgent care, internal and family medicine, nephrology peritoneal dialysis (PD), oncology, palliative medicine, med/surg, NICU, Labor and Delivery (L&D), and Family-centered care (FCC). From my experience in healthcare, I understand first-hand the impact of disability on one's mental health, wellness, and relationships with others; and strive to support my clients going through it.

Elle most enjoys working with high-functioning adults age 18+ with mild-to-moderate symptoms; and has vast experience supporting clients experiencing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relationship problems, and difficulty adjusting to change(s). Elle specializes in supporting her clients through difficult transitions in life; often caused by mental health, new medical diagnosis(es), chronic and terminal illness(es), relationship changes including break-ups, and/or shifts within work/career path(s). So come as you are, get comfy and cozy, and we’ll face it together.

Through a strengths-based approach, Elle meets her clients where they are and offers a safe space to be heard, process difficult emotions, and find empowerment. Elle utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solutions Focused Therapy intervention(s), and yes a lens in medical social work in session, to tailor to client’s individual need(s). Elle truly believes we aren’t meant to live this life alone; and with support, our darkest hours can be met with the light of resilience, if only we are brave enough to ask.

Through a strengths-based approach, Elle meets her clients where they are and offers a safe space to be heard, process difficult emotions, and find empowerment. Elle begins each session with an open heart, a strong sense of empathy, and the essence of an old friend, who always keeps things real and without judgment - no matter the time or distance since our last meeting. Elle truly believes we aren’t meant to live this life alone; and with support, our darkest hours can be met with the light of resilience, if only we are brave enough to ask.

A first session is going to be unlike our therapy sessions – think of this as setting the groundwork for our work together. Together we’ll discuss what brings you to therapy, what you hope to get out of it, my role, responsibilities, expectations, and limitations, and a biopsychosocial assessment of yourself. So what is a biopsychosocial assessment? I learn about you, your support and family system(s), your health & mental health history, work life, any financial stressors, etc. This gives me a well-rounded understanding of who you are and allows me to holistically approach your needs/concerns in our next and future appointments. For this reason, I always encourage that at the end of our first meeting, we schedule our first therapy session.