Melissa Beaulieu is a graduate student-intern at Florida Atlantic University getting her master’s in counselor education with a specialization in clinical mental health. She completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology at College of William & Mary.
I have always enjoyed working with underserved populations who need advocacy and visibility in the service field. I have gained experience building rapport with families of children in foster care while working as Child Welfare case manager. I have also worked at a psychiatric hospital for over one year. Those two experiences have shown me the importance of client advocacy. I have also interned at a dual diagnosis treatment center. With that experience, I was able to gain a better understanding of addiction, and the trauma and mental illness (e.g., anxiety) that fuel it.
These experiences have deepened my interest in trauma-centered interventions, EMDR, and mindfulness focused therapies. These have been shown to help alleviate PTSD, depression and anxiety symptoms. I am also well acquainted with one variation of CBT (CBASP) which helps clients substitute hurtful patterns of thinking and behavior for more productive thoughts and behaviors.
I have a passion helping people heal and understanding what works. I am an empathetic, supportive, and relatable counselor who champions my clients toward a higher version of themselves. My philosophy is to help clients create an environment of holistic healing, understanding that mental health is a result of nurturing environment, mind, body and spirit.