Melissa Gibson (she/her)

135767
Accepting Clients

Get ready to be known and supported!

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples
  • Family
  • Adolescent/Teen
  • Medication Management

About My Clients

Clients who choose me are often looking for an ally and a coach; appreciating that I am someone who will take the time to see them, encourage them, and gently push a little. They are people who open up overtime in trauma-informed, experiential space. They might especially hold multiple identities that can feel at odds with each other. They are folks with a greater likelihood of challenges with other forms of support, especially not being understood.

My Background and Approach

My flavor of therapy is not one of assumptions and cookie-cutter tools nor is it one of listening and nodding along. My voice is kind and warm as I genuinely consider it an honor to witness and workshop the unique inner workings of your life in a relational way. As trust is formed, I tend to ask ever-deepening questions, layering our meetings, and building towards using the therapeutic space to test out options for change. I work largely within relationships because these are avenues for both deep harm AND profound healing. Whether you bring a family member or a romantic partner to session, you will experience my ability to, not just hold with care the multiple perspectives in the room, but to build bridges across them so that speaking with your loved one feels more like being understood and cared for.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I hold the belief that there are larger, systematic factors that impact us beyond our cultural norms. I believe it is important to name these factors as they might arise in subject matter and likely impact even the nature of the therapeutic relationship.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Attachment Theory Relationship Counseling Trauma Therapy
Other Techniques
  • Addiction Counseling
  • Coaching
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Collaborative Couple Therapy
  • Contemplative Therapy
  • Culturally Sensitive Therapy
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Family Therapy
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy
  • Harm Reduction Therapy
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Solution Focused Brief Therapy
  • Somatic Therapy: Body-Based Healing for Emotional Trauma
  • Person-Centered (Rogerian)
  • Discernment Counseling
  • Trauma Therapy
  • Sex Therapy
  • Relationship Counseling

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Relationship Issues Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Other Issues
  • Addiction
  • ADHD Therapists
  • Aging Concerns
  • Attachment
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Burnout
  • Cancer
  • Chronic Pain or Illness
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Family Conflict
  • Grief or Loss
  • Immigration/Acculturation
  • Infertility
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Learning Disorders
  • LGBTQ-Friendly Therapists
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Physical Disability
  • Polyamorous and Open Relationships
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Self-Esteem
  • Self-Harm
  • Sexual Abuse or Assault
  • Sexual Problems
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Systemic Oppression Therapy
  • Teen Issues
  • Women's Issues
I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Atheism
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • Hinduism
  • Judaism
  • Wicca/Paganism
  • Interfaith
  • Multifaith

At A Glance

  • Experience: 4 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $100 - 165/session

Reach out to Melissa