Melissa Qaqish

My name is Melissa Qaqish and I am a licensed clinical mental health counselor with long time experience working in an intensive outpatient unit (IOP). I graduated with my masters from Keiser University. Trauma, including but not limited to sexual trauma, depression, anxiety, self harm, suicidal ideation, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, grief, bipolar, major deregulated mood disorder, ADHD, substance use, and family relationships is what I mainly worked with in my past IOP unit. However, I am experienced with people from ages 12-65 and provided individual, family, and group therapy. Furthermore, my experience is diverse to include helping parents improve their parenting skills, and extend what their view of conventional parenting looks like in society currently in order to improve overall family dynamics. I am passionate about helping my clients process all of life’s challenges and be able to live authentic true to self lives. My approach is individualized to each client because I believe no human can be put in a specific box. We are all complex with multiple perspectives. Being an open-minded therapist to include all cultures, ethnicities, and sexual orientations is something that I think all mental health clinicians should practice in their treatment. Finally, I have experience with couples therapy and trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR)therapy as well as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART).

In my practice I believe in working from a person centered approach where I focus on the clients’ strengths and prioritizetheir voice in what they want their treatment to look like. Being open to criticism is something I value and welcome my clients to let me know if there is something they don’t like or want their therapy to go in another direction. My goal is to provide the safest most comforting atmosphere that my clients can be vulnerable in so they can trust me and the process of healing.

For my first session I like to get to know my clients and not go too deep right away unless they choose to dive right into it. Building rapport and a trusting relationship is my priorities on the first visit.