Melanie has worked in the mental health field in a variety of settings including private practice, community health, schools, and at Monash University as part of the ‘Parenting Resilient Kids Team.’
Melanie has worked as a school counsellor in schools, gaining extensive experience in working with children and adolescents and common presenting conditions with these age groups such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Melanie also has an interest in working with young adults as well. She has a particular interest in working with issues pertaining to anxiety, depression, self-esteem, stress and relationship difficulties. These include but are not limited to workplace related stress, life transitions, burnout and relationship issues and breakdowns.
Melanie believes in creating a warm, supportive and collaborative approach in working with clients, adapting her therapeutic approach to suit the individual needs of each client. She believes in developing an authentic relationship with the client in order to understand their experiences. Melanie aims to create a safe space for clients to share their story and to be heard and understood, allowing clients to reflect on their experiences and develop a deeper understanding of themselves, enabling them to take positive steps towards creating lasting change in their lives.
Melanie utilises a range of therapy modalities in her treatment including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), psychodynamic therapy, play therapy, person centered therapy and mindfulness-based therapy. Melanie is also trained in Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.