Melissa BrownLCSW

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has experience in a wide range of areas. I take a psychodynamic approach, it is my belief through research and experience that the way in which we view the world, feel bonded to others and navigate relationships starts at birth. Through attachment style, family culture, and experiences, our personalities and relationships are shaped. Whether you are going through something that has been building for years or something that seems short-term, I am excited to help you find the quality of life you desire.

Everything stems back to attachment style (How you bonded with your caregivers) family culture around emotion (If something big happened, was it talked about, did everyone ignore it, etc.), and parenting styles, it just manifests differently. For some people it comes out in anxiety, depression, anger outbursts, irritability, eating disorders, cutting, thoughts of suicide.

I think the idea of sitting and talking about feelings can be some people's worst nightmare. Therapy can be much different than what you are thinking it is. Give it a try, what's the worst that could happen? You hate it and never come back? What's the best that could happen? You have a therapist you like and get to the quality of life you so badly want? You have a neutral person to talk to and trust if you are going through a hard time?

• Oregon, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, L10558

I started my career off working in Child Abuse. I was a forensic interviewer at a Child Abuse Intervention Center in Oregon. I was also a CPS worker with Child Welfare and a forensic photographer with the Sheriff's Dept. This line of work became extremely difficult for me because I didn't feel I was able to connect with my clients in the way that I wanted to be helpful to them. I then went into Mental Health Crisis work, responding to calls where people were showing symptoms of psychosis or having thoughts of suicide. Although this was a good transition for me into mental health therapy, I still felt that I was not helping people in a way that made me feel good about the work I was doing. Now I am a full time mental health therapist, I enjoy getting to know people on a deeper level and helping you through your journey.