About

Melissa grew up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) with an American passport in Ukraine and Austria. She joined Cornerstone’s counseling staff in 2024 as a child and adolescent therapist with a passion to serve TCKs and their families. Melissa was trained in counseling and play therapy at Wheaton College Graduate School (2016) and continued training to receive her Registered Play Therapist license (2022). Prior to working in Thailand, Melissa worked in private practice and community mental health settings for seven years. Her training and experience in research-based Child-Centered Play Therapy allows her to work with children as young as 18 months old. Melissa loves using expressive therapies to help each child and teenager process their lives in the most developmentally appropriate ways so that the whole family can thrive.

Education

• MA (Master of Arts) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2016, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, Illinois, USA

• BS (Bachelor of Science) in Psychology, 2012, University of Northwestern Saint Paul, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Licensure

• Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Illinois, USA

• Registered Play Therapist (RPT), National Certification, USA

• Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCPT), NIRE

Specialized Training

• Play Therapy

• Child-Centered Play Therapy

• Filial Therapy

Counseling Interests and Experiences

• Individual Counseling for Children and Adolescents

• Third Culture Kids

• Child Social and Emotional Development

• Parenting and Family Communication

• Behavioral Issues

• Grief, Loss, and Transition

• Anxiety and Stress Management

• Recovering from Trauma