Trauma Therapist - Trauma Therapy of Nashville

Hi, I’m Melanie!

I am a student and teacher of the human condition. My work as a mental health therapist and supervisor, my personal healing journey and spirituality have been my source of wisdom. I believe we all have everything we need to heal inside of us. My role as a therapist and as a fellow human, is to provide space and opportunity to help others connect back to this internal wisdom. We are our own healers.

I created Trauma Therapy of Nashville, a holistic therapy practice serving clients struggling with Trauma, Women’s Issues, Relationships & Chronic Conditions of the Body. We are located on Music Row in Nashville, TN.

My belief that healing occurs by treating the whole person, has helped me develop a unique approach to mental health wellness with these things in mind. With a neuro-experiential framework, I utilize the following modalities:

Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (AAP)
Brainspotting (BSP)
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Meditation & Mindfulness
Psychedelic Preparation and Integration
Somatic Archeology
Trauma Informed Body Movement

Think of me as another tool in your toolbox to help clients or therapists reach their therapeutic goals!I do not meet with clients in the typical 1-hour, weekly session format. I offer Trauma Therapy Intensives to individuals that live in or travel to the state of Tennessee. Intensives focus on regulating the client’s nervous system (where trauma is stored) and processing trauma with the modalities listed above. Depending on the client’s specific needs and goals, they may choose a 5-Day Intensive, Extended Therapy Sessions (typically 2-3 hours) or Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy.

How Do I Know If This is the Right Fit?

I work with clients that typically have experienced some or all of the following:

Acute Trauma
Attachment Trauma
Childhood Trauma
Complex Trauma
Developmental Trauma
Historical Trauma
Medical Trauma
Physical Trauma
Recent Event Trauma
Relational Trauma
Spiritual and/or Religious Trauma

Often times, clients have tried traditional talk therapies and did not see the benefits they were looking for. My clients are typically working with a primary therapist and have created a strong foundation to their healing process, but are ready to dig deep and resolve issues that have been a struggle for many years.

Typical issues addressed in sessions

Affairs
Anxiety
Childhood Trauma
Coping Skills
Depression
Dissociation
Divorce
Emotional Abuse
Life Transitions
Mental, Social & Physical aspects of dealing with chronic pain conditions
Mood Related Challenges
PTSD
Relationship Dysfunction
Self-Worth/Self-Identity
Sexual Abuse/Assault
Spiritual Abuse
Spiritual Exploration
Substance Use and Abuse
Trauma Rooted in Eating Disorders
Traumatic Grief (losing a loved one to suicide, losing someone suddenly)

Therapy Sessions With Me

My style of therapy may be a little different from your typical therapist. As my client, I view you as the expert on your life. I do not view myself as the “know it all” in the room. I have some valuable information that my trainings have afforded me, but your life experiences are just as valuable to the work we will do together. We are a team in this process.

I am straight forward, honest and do not sugar coat things, which my clients have come to value in our sessions. I often have clients tell me “I knew it was something I needed to bring up in session because I didn’t want to hear your honest answer about it!” I like to throw in humor when I can, as I think laughter is good for the soul. We have hot coffee or tea, take our shoes off and pull our feet up, if it’s that kind of day… And one of my therapy dogs will most likely be curled up at your feet or snuggled on the couch next to you! I want you to have conversations you aren’t having or have been afraid to have out in the world, in the most safe environment possible.

A Little About Me

I have lived in Nashville since 2002 and consider this home. My favorite forms of self care are watching movies that hit every emotion, painting, art/theatre/comedy shows, interior decorating, being outdoors with my dogs and spending time with my friends. I also LOVE plants and currently have 60+ under my care!

I co-host the podcast “I’m Fine, It’s Fine” with comedian Amber Autry. We talk with each other, guest comedians and entertainers about personal experiences of trauma and mental health.

Education & Trainings

Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University
Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional – CCTP
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) – Level 2 Trained
Certified Brainspotting (BSP) Practitioner
Brainspotting Levels 1-3
Body Spotting – Brainspotting Trauma and Chronic Conditions in the Body
Generational Brainspotting with Somatic Archeology and Epigenetics
Brainspotting Master Class with creator, David Grand: Neuro-Experiential Model for Complex Trauma, Attachment and Dissociation
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) – MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy
Psychedelic Coalition for Health: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy & Integration Training + Psychedelic Medicine Education & Advocacy
Polaris Insight Center – Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (ongoing training)
I-EMDR Migraine Headache/Chronic Pain Protocol
Level 1 Trauma Sensitive Yoga
AAMFT Approved Supervisor

Trainings & Experience Specific to Psychedelic Work

In order to create the safety needed, I know it’s important for some to know exactly what qualifies me to work in this capacity. For that purpose, I will share my experience below.

First and foremost, my training and over 10 years of experience as a trauma therapist and my personal experiences with psychedelics have been my biggest teachers in how I work with clients in this space.
I have trained with MAPS for MDMA Assisted Therapy and stopped short of the 1 week in-person experience due to COVID and plan to complete this in the next cohort with MAPS.
I have completed the program with the Psychedelic Coalition for Health: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy & Integration Training + Psychedelic Medicine Education & Advocacy. This gave me hands on experience in facilitating psychedelic journeys and learned from some of the best in this field about working with psychedelic medicine, including Lauren Taus, Rick Doblin, Carl Hart, Omid Naim, Ben Malcom, to name a few!
I am currently in on-going trainings with a ketamine specific training program with Polaris Insight Center, one of the leading training institutes in the field of Ketamine Assisted Therapy.
I co-founded and was a board member of a legal Psychedelic Church in Alabama (my home state!). Our mission was to provide safe and legal access to psychedelic medicine for the purposes of personal healing and growth. This is no longer an active church, but taught me a great deal about psychedelic medicine.
I am also involved in local and international consultation groups and community groups that support practitioners working with with psychedelic medicines.