With over 19 years of experience in counseling, I am dedicated to helping others navigate life's challenges. I believe in creating a safe and comfortable environment where you can express yourself freely and work towards positive change. Whether you're dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, or any other issue, I am here to listen and provide the support and coping skills you need to improve your daily functioning.

My career has spanned various roles, including Social Work Case Management, Mental Health Professional, and Director of Upward Bound and Student Support Services (TRIO Programs). I have worked with a diverse population, including children, adolescents, adults, parents, first-generation students, non-traditional students, juvenile delinquents, and male inmates. I retired in 2016 from the Alabama state system with 25 years of service and reentered the workforce from 2016 to 2023 as a Mental Health Professional in a correctional facility.

I specialize in Anger Management, Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, Stress, Mood Disorders, Oppositional Defiant, Grief Issues, PTSD, Trauma, Parenting, Bullying, Suicidal Ideations, and Life Transitions. I utilize a variety of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Reality Therapy, Multicultural Therapy, Eclectic Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

You want to keep moving on with your life, but something is in the way. You may feel stuck, unmotivated, depressed, anxious, scared, and so much more. Life can be so challenging, and it isn't fair that you don't get instructions. At GROW, we understand that life can throw some unexpected curveballs that you were never prepared to handle. We want to help equip you with the tools to manage the challenges and wounds life can bring to move towards healing.

Courtney Salter loves helping people move forward. She is passionate about the potential that you have in your life, and works diligently to become a safe place to find and develop the tools within yourself and heal past wounds. Courtney earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and has extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Courtney has worked in a psychiatric hospital with a range of disorders in the inpatient and outpatient units. Her experience extends to working with adults, teens, women, trauma, anxiety, addiction, depression, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, boundaries, communication, career, codependency, and relationships.

You are not broken in need of fixing; you may be healing and in need of care. Caring for yourself and your emotional/mental health is often a difficult thing to do. Yet unattended, the wounds and destructive coping mechanisms tear away the chance of healthy relationships, life-giving work, daily functioning, and effective parenting.

As your therapist, Courtney is determined to help you find your place in the healing process. You may wonder if you need counseling or if it will make a difference. Here at GROW, we have seen things get better. We are passionate about the potential that you have in your life. Life happens, but together we can find the next steps forward.

Available to New Clients! In-person Acworth office or virtually.
Who Am I? We all desire to be heard, to be seen, to have a purpose, to know the truth, to trust, to be trusted, and to be whole. The mind, body, & spirit need to be well; we work with all three parts. Having grown up overseas, I know acculturation into the home country is a struggle. I know what it's like to be hurt by religion or church. I know what it's like to live with a narcissistic leader or family member.
I've experienced divorce, remarriage, had single-parenting struggles, learned to rebuild a family. I know the challenges of aging parents. Life is hard at any age. I am also an LGBTQIA ally.
I offer a safe space of acceptance & kind confrontation. Our lives are impacted by trauma, whether a one-time event or a life pattern. Trauma can be one-time or long-term; religious, psychological, or physical abuse by people we trust. I will walk alongside you, working through the past, accepting the present, working toward whole wellness in your future.
As your therapist, I want to be present with you where your needs may be. If it's anxiety, depression, gender identity issues, church or religion mess, trauma, aging parents, difficult kids, troubled or at-risk-marriage, toxicity, or a career change, I will listen to you. I offer an open mind but I will challenge you when you need another perspective.

Melissa Murphy, LCSW-C, LICSW, LCSW, C-DBT, is a seasoned therapist and clinical director at Bethesda Therapy, licensed in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia. Specializing in anxiety, depression, trauma, and OCD, she employs ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) and Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT), recognized as leading treatments for OCD. Melissa's expertise extends to managing mood disorders, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain disorders. Her approach is collaborative and strengths-based, focusing on developing personalized strategies for each client.

As a Gottman-trained couples therapist, Melissa is adept at addressing the complexities of relationships affected by ADHD and OCD. She also treats Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) and finds profound fulfillment in supporting therapists and those in helping professions. Her work is underpinned by advanced training in both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).