Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in Encinitas, CA

I earned my Master of Arts degree in psychology with a focus on marriage and family therapy to pursue my passion for helping others navigate life's challenges, achieve personal growth, and heal. My education and training have equipped me with the knowledge and skills to provide effective, evidence-based therapy to my clients.

My passion is to empower those that have not found their potential. We all have our own stories and experiences which makes us perfect candidates for success when we have the right support. Whether you have lived it, experienced it or witnessed it, the effects of trauma are devastating. Quit beating yourself up. It is time to heal. With 20 years experience in addiction and over 10 working with trauma, it is time to recover from the past, survive the present, and flourish into the future. It all starts with you.

Melinda Fay is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a specialty in Art Therapy. I received my MA in Psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute in 2002 and I have been licensed since 2008.

Hi, I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I offer a supportive and judgment-free space to help you manage anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, and mood disorders. I work with children, adolescents, and adults using evidence-based care that’s tailored to your needs. My goal is to help you feel seen, heard, and empowered within the family. Let’s walk this journey together, one step at a time.

I believe therapy should feel like a space where you can finally exhale. I strive to create an environment that is supportive, honest, and free of judgment; a place where you feel truly seen and emotionally safe. My approach is collaborative and practical. I don’t just help you understand why you feel the way you do; I help you build real tools to navigate it.

I earned my degree from Cal State Fullerton and have extensive experience working in addiction treatment, eating disorder recovery, and women’s issues. Supporting women is especially meaningful to me. I am deeply passionate about helping women navigate challenges related to self-worth, body image, relationships, boundaries, life transitions, and identity. I understand how trauma, societal expectations, and relational dynamics can shape how women see themselves, and I approach this work with both compassion and clarity.

Together, we focus on strengthening mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and communication skills in ways that feel realistic and sustainable. I blend insight-oriented exploration with concrete strategies, because meaningful change happens when insight meets action. My goal is to help you better understand your patterns, feel more confident managing your emotions, and move forward with greater clarity, self-trust, and resilience.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10 years of social work experience and 5 years of experience as a psychotherapist. My experience ranges from treating children ages 5 and older to treating geriatric individuals aged 70+. I am a bilingual, Latina therapist and I conduct therapy in both English and Spanish. I have worked in a variety of settings including community mental health and private practice treating a range of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, co-occurring disorders, and more. Much of my work has been focused on working with the Latino community in Southern California as well as disadvantaged communities of color.

I have 40 years experience in the mental health field in multiple roles, I believe listening and believing in the person is the most important way to practice therapy.