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Hi there I'm Melissa,

I was always drawn to work in a helping profession. Addiction and its related mental health struggles ran through my extended family, which is part of what led me into psychiatric nursing. I wanted to understand the brain-body connection — why some people struggle more than others with challenges that are often misunderstood and heavily stigmatized.

I began my career as an acute care psychiatric nurse, then moved into addiction recovery — first at a private residential treatment centre, where I spent a year and a half building my clinical skills and working alongside leading addiction specialists in Manitoba. I later trained further as a counsellor to deepen my therapeutic skill set specifically for this population.

Today, I hold a caseload of one-on-one clients and run outpatient addiction recovery and anger management programs. I also specialize in supporting families and partners of people struggling with addiction — this work often gets overlooked, but the people around someone in recovery need support too.

"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others" ~ Nelson Mandela

My therapeutic approach

I believe every person has the innate capacity for growth and healing. My approach is client-centred, strengths-based, and trauma-informed. I incorporate a holistic understanding of health — considering mind, body, and the social and environmental context that shapes someone's well-being — but the work itself stays clinically grounded: EMDR for trauma, evidence-informed addiction counselling, and Internal Family Systems-informed care.

I strive to create a space where people from all backgrounds and identities feel seen and respected — including the Indigenous clients I work with through Non-Insured Health Benefits.

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Training & credentials

  • Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN), Licensed by the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba

  • Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing through Brandon University - Winnipeg Site.

  • EMDR — Elevate EMDR Academy, March 2025

  • Internal Family Systems - Informed practice

  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level One (in progress)

  • Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy — Numinus

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