Melissa simonson, MA, LCPC, Resident in Counseling, NCC

Melissa worked in Christian education for 15 years as both a teacher and Elementary Principal. She developed a love of learning while helping her students achieve personal academic excellence. She received her Master’s in Special Education to support students with learning disabilities, assist families during the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process, and provide ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis) to children, adolescents, and teens with autism.

Her interest in clinical counseling grew as she saw the need for mental health counselors in the Southern Maryland area. She works with clients of all ages with concerns related to anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, as well as divorce and blended families. Melissa believes that understanding what the body is experiencing and providing psychoeducation is critical for counseling and achieving goals. She is eager to help each client attain their personal goals using a variety of evidence-based approaches that are specific to the individual or group needs. She has been trained in EMDR, CBT, DBT, and is IFS-Informed.

Melissa has been married for 6 years and has been a resident of Southern Maryland for over 30 years. She and her husband attend church in Southern Maryland and have a blended family with 6 children and 2 dogs. She received her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Liberty University. She has a master’s in special education from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Arts in humanities from the University of Maryland-University College. 

Counsels: ages 4+ (ages 6+ via telehealth), individual males, individual females, parenting, and family.

Works with: Parenting, Suicide, Domestic Violence - Victim (current), Domestic Violence - Survivor, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse (Drugs & Alcohol) - Addict, Substance Abuse (Drugs & Alcohol) - Family Member, Sex Abuse - Survivor, Childhood Sex Abuse - Adult Survivor, Childhood Sex Abuse - Child Survivor, Infidelity, Grief/Loss, Anger, Post-Abortion, Mood Disorders, Self-Mutilation, Military, Terminal Illness, End of Life Issues, Gestalt Therapy, Narcissistic Personality - Partner of, Personality Disorders, Life Coaching, Prepare/Enrich, EMDR, DBT, IFS Informed.

Specializes in: Preschool (4-5), Elementary Age (6-12), Teens (13-18), Parenting, Family Counseling, Blended Families, Trauma, PTSD, Depression/Anxiety, ADD/ADHD, Divorce, Play Therapy, Asperger’s/Autism, CBT, OCD, ODD, Working with IEPs, Bipolar, Children with Disabilities, Learning Disabilities.

Melissa works with residents of Maryland and Virginia via telehealth and sees clients in person in White Plains, MD.