Melissa Balent

My therapeutic process and specialities

My therapeutic process centers on expressing your authentic self and supporting growth in areas meaningful to your life goals. I specialize in trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, stress, grief and loss, life transitions, self-esteem, work stress, veteran issues, health issues, and recovery from substance use.

My journey to mental healthcare

Therapy made such a difference in my own life, and I wanted to improve the lives of others. What drives me is the importance of connection in mental well-being. When we choose therapy, we make the courageous choice to reduce suffering by processing pain and becoming healthier and stronger.

My approach

My approach is trauma-informed, supportive, and introspective, utilizing relational and evidence-based interventions to help you develop coping skills for managing stress and improving connection, communication, confidence, and mood. I provide psychoeducational resources and tools to complement our work in sessions.

My focus

I support individuals facing physical disabilities or chronic health conditions, neurodivergence, work stress, relationship issues, family dysfunction, low self-confidence, loneliness, sadness, anxiety, or those exploring life or career goals. No matter what you've been through, I am here for you step-by-step.

My communication style

I am open, compassionate, nonjudgmental, and accepting. I engage collaboratively in sessions with active empathetic listening, thoughtful questions, and reflections to support growth and insight while building adaptive coping skills. I walk alongside you and work at your pace, supportive of your values.

My goals for you

My approach to goal setting is collaborative. Together, we discuss your main concerns, what issues are most important to you, and what interventions may best address your goals and symptoms. As therapy progresses, we reflect on how it's going and work together on next steps based on your feedback.

My first session with you

When we meet for the first time, we get to know one another and build a therapeutic relationship, explore concerns and background information, and develop a plan that makes sense for your needs. Please feel free to ask questions, discuss your needs, and describe what brings you to therapy and what you'd like to be different.