Obsessive-compulsive disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Lynchburg, VA

This field is everything to me. I have been fully licensed for a short time but have worked in mental health for over 10 years in many roles. Working with clients, being alongside them through their most difficult and profound experiences, is the biggest honor one could have.

I believe therapy should feel like a place where you can finally exhale. You don’t have to have the right words, know exactly what you need, or arrive with everything figured out. It needs to be your safe place.

My approach is warm,compassionate, and deeply human. I work with people who may feel overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected from themselves, or exhausted from carrying too much for too long. Together, we make space to understand what you’ve been through, what your nervous system has learned to protect you from, and what you need now in order to heal and move forward.

I created Gentle Ground Therapy with the hope of offering exactly what the name represents—a soft place to land, where you feel comfortable and safe.

You are more than what has happened to you, and healing does not mean becoming someone new. Sometimes it means gently finding your way back to yourself.

I want you to know that my heart is to walk with you. No matter what you are bringing into counseling with you, I desire to provide you with a safe space where you can be confident in knowing that you are seen, heard, and known.

Melinda is a trauma informed, Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia, with the Virginia Board of Counseling. She is also the owner of Triumphant Coaching & Counseling, LLC. Melinda graduated from Hampton University in 1991 with a B.A. in Sociology. She served in the Navy for 12 years as a Human Resource Officer, obtaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. She acquired her master’s degree in human resource development in 2001, and she acquired her Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling Degree from Nyack College, Alliance Graduate School of Counseling in New York City in 2014.

.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, past experiences, or your relationship with food, you’re not alone—I am here to help when you are ready to connect.

I’m a dual-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 25 years of healthcare experience. I specialize in working with adults experiencing anxiety, trauma, and eating-related patterns such as emotional eating, restriction, or feeling out of control around food.

I also bring personal insight to this work, which allows me to approach care with deeper understanding and compassion while maintaining a thoughtful, clinical approach to treatment.

I work with individuals who are dealing with ongoing anxiety, stress, or challenges with mood or eating patterns that are starting to impact their daily life.

My goal is to provide individualized psychiatric care where you feel supported and understood and have a clear, and we create a realistic plan to move forward.

You’re the one who holds it all together. On paper it’s working — the career, the relationships, the discipline. Underneath, you’re anxious, tired, and disconnected. Intellect, stamina, perfectionism and people-pleasing may have gotten you far — but now its part of a pattern that keeps you stuck.

I see driven, self-aware adults who are often the most capable person in the room despite (and because of) their bodies holding patterns of high-functioning anxiety, trauma, and depression.

The pattern lives within your nervous system — so this work includes the mind, body, and environment. Yes, we will explore your patterns & why they exist, AND we’ll notice them in your body, in real time. Coherence, parts work, Brainspotting, ART, EFT- different tools, one principle: change consolidates through experience, not just explanation.

.

Assisting all people to discover their maximum potential and overcome barriers to their emotional, psychological and spiritual well being is my life's work. My approach is informed by a non-judgmental challenge to self and the environment that in unlocking potential no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, or economic background.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship stress, or family boundaries? I support adults with anxiety, depression, OCD, postpartum concerns, trauma, PTSD, grief, substance use, and relationship challenges. I especially support daughters of narcissistic mothers and people navigating estrangement or no contact. I welcome all races, genders, identities, LGBTQIA+ clients, and neurodivergent adults, including those with ADHD or ADD. As a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience, I offer warmth, empathy, and respect for how identity and life shapes what you carry.

My practice is rooted in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care designed to help you navigate and improve your mental well-being. I believe in a comprehensive treatment model with evidence-based medication management and tailored interventions.

I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and the mental health complexities of chronic medical illness. My expertise also extends to sleep disorders, stress reduction, and dual diagnosis.