Melanie Fikse

If someone is reading this, Melanie Fikse understands the fatigue that comes from feeling stuck and unsure how to feel different. She recognizes that trying idea after idea without relief can be discouraging, and she honors the courage it takes to seek a more fulfilling and happier life. When a person is ready to take that first step toward change, she offers support and empowerment.

Melanie is a licensed professional clinical counselor practicing in California with 12 years of experience working with adults. She practices from a trauma-informed perspective and helps with concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, childhood and adult trauma, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. Her work is client-centered, collaborative, and strength-based, and she aims to create a space where clients feel genuinely seen and heard.

She earned a master’s degree from New York University and spent many years in New York City working in a community mental health clinic that served underserved populations. For many years she has practiced in California, based in a rural community where she draws calm and renewal from the quiet and the trees.

Known for a warm and down-to-earth manner, Melanie combines compassion with practical skills and evidence-informed techniques. She integrates approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, EMDR, psychodynamic interventions, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness and meditation. She is experienced in working with significant trauma histories and is allied with the LGBTQ community. Melanie looks forward to hearing more of each person’s story and partnering with them through life’s challenges and joys.