Melissa Wolf, LPCC
Melissa is the clinical director of the Heart-Mind Center, LLC located in Edgewood, NM. She is a licensed clinical counselor specializing in PTSD, anxiety, trauma resolution, sensory integration and emotion regulation issues. Therapy includes increasing awareness of how trauma effects our physical experience and mental/emotional perceptions with a focus on personal empowerment while improving communication & emotion regulation skills. She is currently working on her PhD dissertation studying body/mind stress interventions to improve emotion regulation skills in vulnerable populations.
In 1999, Melissa operated her own practice as a medical massage therapist working with physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and mental health professionals. She quickly noticed how reducing stress in the body and introducing self-care skills were extremely successful in increasing her clients' quality of life. Her body mind approach helped with many mental health problems such as severe anxiety, panic disorders, and depression related to life circumstances, health issues, and injuries resulting from traumatic events. Her holistic approach was so effective that clinical counselors sent their client's to her and she was encouraged by her mental health colleagues to complete her MA in counseling psychology to expand her clinical expertise.
Melissa no longer works with hands on body therapies (licensure conflicts with counseling ethics), but incorporates the wisdom gained by her experience to help her counseling client's to understand how the body is impacted by emotions and perceptions.
Melissa is an EMDRIA trained EMDR therapist, equine-assisted psychotherapy therapist,
HeartMath Insttitute certified HeartMath Mentor and trained in the resilient heart trauma-sensitive approach. Melissa is a PhD student at Saybrook University and is conducting research using the HearthMath approach to improve stress resiliency and emotion regulation skills among at-risk populations.
My Story
I am a person-centered therapist and integrate body-based awareness with traditional cognitive behavioral and skills-based therapy techniques in my treatment approach. This blend of mind and body therapy has been effective in developing emotion regulation skills as well as reducing symptoms of panic attacks, sensory overwhelm, fibromyalgia, migraines, and sleep issues which may be symptoms of underlying anxiety and stress. I have over 20 years of experience working with body/mind therapies, and 15 years experience as a trauma-focused counselor. I earned my Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Prescott College and I'm currently working on my PhD in Psychology at Saybrook University.
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I am clinically trained by EMDRIA as a certified EMDR therapist, and spent 10 years studying Neurofeedback but no longer use it due to its prohibitive cost for my patients. My love for horses led me to become professionally trained in Equine Assisted therapy. I am also a certified trauma-focused mentor for the HearMath Institute. Evidence suggests these specialties are beneficial for trauma resolution, PTSD, social anxiety, sensory integration issues, and behavioral problems. However, my mission goes beyond eliminating these symptoms and I am always focused on helping to heal the cause of the issue. I believe every person is an authentic individual who already possesses strengths and attributes to become their personal best. One of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves is the wisdom we gain from healing our own wounds!
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