Melissa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 5 years of experience. She joined the Social Enrichment Center as a therapist where she is providing individual psychotherapy and facilitating social skills groups. Melissa received her B.A. in Educational Psychology and Linguistics from Swarthmore College in 2011, and went on to earn her Master of Social Service (MSS) from Bryn Mawr College in 2014. After taking time to travel and work on research projects and manuscripts focusing on both social justice and the interconnectedness of micro- and macro- social work practice, Melissa began work in a school as a school social worker. There she provided social and emotional support to K-12 students with diverse needs, including ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, expressive and receptive language disorders, and anxiety disorders. Melissa also gained experience in crisis prevention and intervention, facilitated and engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration to plan and evaluate individual interventions within and outside of the classroom, and partnered closely with parents and students’ outside service providers to support student needs.

In addition to her interest in working with children and adolescents, Melissa completed a certificate program in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and received clinical supervision from social work professionals who have extensive training and experience with play therapy. She is also interested in working with and supporting young adults, as she feels it is integral to gain an understanding of and learn how to support individuals’ needs at different stages of life.