LGBT therapists in Independence, OH

Reaching out for therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’re used to managing everything on your own. I work with adults, including many caregivers who are balancing a lot and may feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or unsure how to prioritize themselves while caring for others.

I’ve supported clients navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, life transitions, relationship challenges, grief, trauma, and parenting stress.

I also bring extensive experience working with children and adolescents (ages 4–21), which allows me to support parents with a deeper understanding of child and adolescent development. This helps caregivers better understand their child’s behavior and feel more confident in how they respond at home.

Most people arrive at therapy carrying something they've never said out loud. My job is to make saying it possible by being someone worth trusting with it.

I've been a practicing counselor for over a decade. I also teach and supervise the next generation of therapists, which keeps me sharp and current. But experience and credentials aren't what makes the work good. What makes therapy work is that I'm a real person in the room with you: direct when that helps, quiet when that helps more. I will never ask you to do something I'm not willing to do myself.

My education isn't limited to my degrees. My clients have taught me more about resilience, compassion, and what it means to live fully than any program did. I hold that as sacred, and I take you as seriously as I take that.

If you've been carrying something heavy for a long time, whether that's past trauma, depression that won't lift, anxiety that's hard to shake, or a complicated family dynamic, you're not alone. I work with adolescents (13 and up) and adults navigating trauma, depression, anxiety, and the kinds of life experiences that don't fit into a tidy box. After 15 years running a community clinic, I've sat with just about every story a person can bring into a room. There's nothing you need to soften before walking through the door. Outside of session, I spend most of my time with my wife and 2 daughters.

My educational background includes a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Woman’s University. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in TX, CO, and PA, and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in ME, as well as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in OH.

Melyse Behavioral & Wellness is a small group practice that empowers, supports and helps clients thrive through their journey. We are a small practice designed to meet the support We have a long history working with kids in the foster care system. I work with clients from various walks of life ages 12 years and older a variety of different emotional difficulties find a way to improve the quality of your relationships with family and friends. You’re taking the first step, and I congratulate you for that because it’s not an easy thing to do.