Melissa E. Mendoza, LMSW
"Empowering Your Journey,
Nurturing Your Strengths"
Welcome to a Sanctuary for Empaths and Highly Sensitive Individuals
Greetings, fellow Michiganders and especially to the young adults of Gen-Z and Millennials.
Born in Oakland County and nurtured in the heart of Southwest Detroit, my roots are intricately woven with Michigan's diverse tapestry. My own journey, interlaced with personal encounters of depression, anxiety, trauma, and the transformative power of therapy, has deepened my understanding and compassion. This compassion extends especially to those of you identifying as empaths or highly sensitive individuals, grappling with the complexities of depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, and challenging relationships.
Understanding Your Unique Challenges:
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Overwhelmed by Emotions: Your heightened sensitivity can often feel like an emotional overload. Every news story or interaction may seem to bear immense emotional weight, leading to exhaustion.
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Loneliness and Isolation: The world doesn't always resonate with the profound depth of your emotional experience, leading to feelings of being misunderstood or isolated.
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Trauma and PTSD: Many among you have faced the shadows of trauma and PTSD. These shadows cast long-standing impacts, leading to anxiety, depression, and relational challenges.
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Tumultuous Relationships: Your empathic nature can sometimes lead to intense relationships. These can be draining, especially if they lack boundaries or understanding.
How Counseling Can Support You:
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Exploration of Emotions: In the therapeutic space, we'll dive deep into understanding your empathic nature, converting perceived vulnerabilities into strengths.
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Healing from Trauma: Using evidence-based approaches, we'll work together to address trauma and PTSD, reducing the influence of past events on your present.
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Managing Anxiety & Depression: We'll build strategies to cope with and alleviate the overwhelming sensations of anxiety and depression.
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Navigating Relationships: I'll assist you in learning how to set boundaries, communicate effectively, and foster fulfilling relationships.
My journey took me from personal struggles in university to facing professional challenges and eventually realizing a dream - establishing a private practice in Royal Oak, Michigan. This journey, coupled with my inherent connection to Michigan, equips me to walk beside you.
Embarking on the Therapeutic Journey:
Therapy is more than just a conversation. It's a guided exploration into the deepest corners of your emotions and experiences. It's about genuine healing and growth, achieved in a safe, structured, and evidence-based environment.
While friends offer solace, the therapeutic journey goes beyond. It's about truly understanding, feeling, and growing. Remember, seeking help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a testament to your strength and desire for balance.
If you're ready to begin this transformative journey towards healing, I'm here to guide, support, and walk alongside you.
You don't have to navigate your unique emotional landscape alone. Your journey deserves understanding, care, and growth. Let's embark on it together.
Education
MSW - Wayne State University
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LMSW)
Years of Experience
10+
Serving
Providing Young Adults compassionate and confidential individual counseling utilizing evidenced based methods. My therapeutic approach is humanistic, strengths-based, and intuitive wherein I utilize compassion and humor as well as evidenced based modalities to help you reach your goals.
Diversity Inclusion Commitment
As a self-identifying Christian, I am dedicated to serving clients of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, documentation statuses, genders, sexual orientations (including LGBTQ+), religious beliefs, atheistic views, and political perspectives.
Treating
Quarter Life Crisis
Depression
Chronic Sadness
Anxiety
Life After Break-up / Divorce
Partner Problems
Family Problems
Trauma
Adjustment Issues
PTSD
Current & Past Trauma
Low Self-Esteem
Self-Deprecation
Mal-Adaptive Coping
Clients typically seek treatment when level of functioning adversely affected in the following ways / domains:
Difficulty with Regulating Emotions
Self-Care
Social Relationships
Family Living
Work / Life Balance
School / Life Balance
Sample of Treatment Modalities
Christian Counseling
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Compassion Focused Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Humanistic
Humor
Interpersonal Therapy
Solution-Focused
Trauma-Focused CBT