Cup of Thoughts Therapy 
A Safe Healing Journey.

Melinda's Specialty

My practice focuses on maternal mental health and trauma. 

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I’m passionate about providing support to new moms, experienced moms, and healing through a perinatal loss. During prenatal, postpartum, and beyond, mixed feelings can show up at any given time and it can feel isolating, even if you’re surrounded by others. It’s ok to not feel ok. Reaching out for support is a wonderful act of courage and strength.

 

I also work with individuals who have experienced trauma in their childhood, such as emotional neglect, verbal, sexual, or physical abuse. I have also worked with individuals who have struggled with addiction due to trauma.

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Prior to processing difficult emotions or trauma, we will work together on building a positive therapeutic relationship. I will help support and guide you on establishing ways to manage and cope with emotions and triggers you are experiencing. This is important to your success in the therapy process. The primary piece to therapy is feeling safe before moving forward. We will work together at your pace. 

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I believe that by providing a safe, compassionate space and effective ways to cope, you can begin to have inner peace with your journey. We’ll openly communicate about how therapy is going and our progress. Please reach out for a free consultation. I look forward to connecting with you!

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Approach

I use a psychodynamic approach during the therapy process. This means you learn more about yourself and make sense out of your behaviors. I also use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to work through disruptive emotions, which helps manage triggers in a healthy manner. A trigger is a reminder of an emotional response, for example a scent, sound, or the way someone looks. Many times people don't understand their emotional response so they are unable to make the connection. This is due to how the brain tries to "forget" what has happened. Then we are left not being able to make sense out of our world. I also use Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness.

 

I will help you discover a sense of calm to help work through the pain, better manage emotions, and work towards inner peace.

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Services:

All sessions are provided via Telehealth (virtual video therapy) and offer safe ways to communicate via SimplePractice (HIPAA compliant platform). Sessions are approximately 55 minutes in length. To help focus and utilize tools during session, this may include journaling, drawing, coloring, painting, doodling, use of fidgets, or having the option for your support animal to join you.

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Moms are welcome to have baby or toddler join session as needed.

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When you're ready, I'm here to help you begin the process to your healing journey.

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How I Began My Career as a Therapist

Throughout my career as a therapist working with individuals and families, I discovered my calling was working with maternal mental health and unresolved childhood trauma. 

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I started as an In-Home Psychotherapist working with children and adolescents in their homes doing intensive therapy and also providing weekly family sessions. Much of my work was done with individuals who had experienced some type of trauma. Adolescents often deal with their trauma by externalizing (hitting others, destroying property, etc.) or internalizing (self-harming) their behaviors. 

 

Prior to my work as an In-Home Psychotherapist, I worked six years making home visits to new moms; including Spanish-speaking individuals. After eight years of in-home work, I transitioned to a behavioral hospital and worked there for three years in the intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs.

 

If you're ready to work through a trauma, I'm here to help. We start slow with building a therapeutic relationship and eventually begin deeper work when you're ready. 

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About me

I studied Spanish and nutrition during undergrad and found a love to travel to explore other cultures. My full-time job after earning my Bachelor of Arts was working within the community and visiting new parents' homes to discuss and educate on child development. After a few years of doing this kind of work, I knew there was a greater calling. I continued my work full-time and started graduate school to become a psychotherapist. I graduated from UW-Whitewater Counselor Education program in 2013 and received my Masters of Science degree. I had worked alongside a phenomenal professor that guided my individual work as a trauma therapist. I found that my best work is done with adults who have unresolved issues from childhood and particularly childhood abuse. As I continued my practice, I found a deeper passion for maternal mental health after having my second child. 

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I'm married and have two elementary school aged children!

 

I absolutely love the outdoors and a nice run in nature or a workout at home. I'm also an animal lover!

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​How to Get Started

You can submit an inquiry below or request a free consultation.