I am a compassionate and empathic Associate Marriage and Family Therapist eager to provide support. My journey has involved delivering therapy in both individual and group settings. I have experience in helping clients with trauma, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I am also fluent in Spanish and enjoy working with the Latino community. I utilize therapeutic approaches such as Person-Centered, Narrative, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. There are various therapy approaches, and together, we can discover which one will benefit you the most.
As an AMFT, I am passionate about helping others. I am committed to helping you reach your goals by providing you with hope, support, and guidance. I have experience working with teens and adults. Therefore, I understand the difficulties that day-to-day life can bring. I aim to work with you along your journey to improve your mental health and emotional well-being. My goal is to understand your inner world and develop strategies that facilitate personal growth.
I hope to provide you with a safe space and supportive environment. I believe each individual has a unique story, and I'd be honored to hear yours!

Malissa Truesdale-Crawford MA, LCMHCA
Malissa is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. She is licensed in both South Carolina and North Carolina.

Malissa is most passionate about people and her motto for clients is let’s work together to become your overall “best/better” SELF!! Malissa has worked tirelessly to help children of all ages and adults feel good about themselves no matter what the past, present may look like. We work together to make “you, the client” feel whole and worthy! Malissa’s previous work stems from children and adults thus the family unit (Couples) is an area that comes naturally for her.

As we process your life path, we will use my skills in Narrative Therapy (values/importance you tell yourself), Solution Focus (where you’re heading/future self), Motivational Interviewing (why do you do what you do) and CBT (ways to change what you do). Malissa is also trained in Couples Prepare/Enrich and Brain-spotting.

In 1997, I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University where I was trained in the use of Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral therapies with adults and adolescents. My post graduate training includes EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapies. I draw on all of these approaches in my work to help people create happier, more fulfilling lives for themselves and their families.

My therapeutic focus includes transitions in adolescence and adulthood, trauma, navigating divorce and post-divorce relationships, and the anxiety and distress that accompany these experiences. I also help mothers and fathers navigate the difficult job of raising children, from infancy through young adulthood, in all types of family configurations. Together, with compassion, we can understand the origins of your distress, what keeps it present in your life, and what changes need to be made to let it go.

In addition to relying on traditional talk therapies, we can draw upon my non-traditional training. I offer EMDR therapy, a highly effective treatment for trauma that can also be helpful when you feel stuck after trying talk therapy to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. And we can choose to use mindfulness techniques drawing upon my decades of practicing and teaching yoga and meditation.

If you are seeking help with any stage of divorce, my training as a divorce mediator may also be helpful in understanding and navigating the process you are going through.

Emily's passion for mental health began when she was just a child who saw how much counseling helped those in her family. Since then, her passion has only grown for helping others respond to life and its challenges. Emily believes in the importance of building a strong relationship with her clients, understanding how their identities impact their lives, and ensuring that she is always learning and growing as a person and counselor.

From her experiences in an on-campus clinic and a hospital support center, Emily has developed an approach to counseling that combines Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Person Centered Therapy. While everyone has different therapeutic needs, Emily tends to draw mostly from these approaches. Emily's professional interests include grief and loss, anxiety, body image concerns, stress management, and life transitions.

I believe that creating a warm, safe, and respectful environment is pertinent to establishing a healthy therapeutic relationship with my clients and helping them to achieve their therapy goals. I strongly believe that therapy is a collaborative process between myself and my clients with the overarching goals of improving relationships, emotional regulation, self-understanding, adjustment, and life satisfaction.

I work with children, adolescents, and adult clients through the use of individual, couples, and family therapy. I frequently incorporate the use of the Brainspotting method to help clients of various ages process through a wide range of highly stressful, activating and traumatic experiences that prevent them from fully engaging in aspects of their life. I also have been trained in Collaborative Practice; information regarding this approach to divorce can be found at www.CollabAtlanta.com.

For my adult clients, therapeutic issues typically focus on depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationship concerns, self-esteem and self-worth, communication difficulties, marital/relationship discord, and life transitions. Therapy focuses on identifying a client’s own strengths and challenges, empowering him/her to cope more effectively with life’s struggles, and improving relationships and overall functioning through insight, self-awareness, and healthy decision-making skills and coping resources.

With my children (ages 5 and older) and adolescent clients, common issues include divorce, depression, anxiety, OCD, mood dysregulation, behavioral difficulties, ADHD, family conflict, school performance issues, and social difficulties, such as peer conflict, bullying, and poor social skills in general. I believe that an important component in working with children and adolescents is the inclusion of the family, as I believe that making changes within the family system is the foundation to therapeutic progress. Family therapy typically centers on improving family communication and relationships, assisting parents in coping with their child’s emotional or behavioral issues at home, and building healthy boundaries, expectations, and family roles.

In addition to therapy, I am experienced in conducting psychological and psychoeducational evaluations. Such evaluations are a tool for identifying a client’s cognitive and academic skills, assessing for learning disabilities and developmental delays, and obtaining information regarding a client’s mental health. Evaluations can yield a wealth of information to help with treatment and educational planning and the identification of appropriate interventions.

I received my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and my M.Ed. in School Counseling from The University of Georgia. Prior to earning my doctorate, I worked as an elementary school counselor. I have been in private practice in the Atlanta area since 2006. In addition to private practice, I have been an adjunct instructor at Georgia State University with the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services and served on the board of the Division of Women and Girls for the Georgia Psychological Association.

I look forward to meeting you and the opportunity to help you address the barriers or concerns that are interfering with your happiness and ability to live life to the fullest!

Maya is a licensed master social worker, emerging researcher, and doctoral candidate at Tulane University. She identifies as South Asian and is multilingual. Maya is interested in research and scholarship in epilepsy health disparities and compassion-focused interventions for individuals experiencing psychological distress.

As an integrative psychotherapist, she combines a variety of psychodynamic and mind-body modalities. She works with emerging adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, and difficulties adjusting to life stressors.

Maya's psychotherapy core beliefs are twofold. First, compassion and respect are the basis of positive therapy experiences. Second, the personal connection and safeness established in the therapeutic relationship are catalysts for lasting change.

She is well versed in compassion-focused therapy (CFT), attachment-based psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness, and mentalization-based therapy (MBT).

In a partnership with patients, therapeutic care is informed by continuous learning and integrates the most recent research.

Regardless of what's happening in your life right now you deserve to feel understood, supported, and equipped. Maybe you've noticed you're anxious more than you're not, or you just don't enjoy life the way you used to. Maybe you've been through something awful, or are grieving the loss of someone you love. I can help.

I love working with people from all stages of life including, teens, young adults, and couples. I specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, self-esteem, and relationship issues.
No matter what's going on in your world I would love to help you navigate life's challenges and pursue growth and wellness in your life.