My formal education focused on psychology and clinical social work. My professional experiences have been in public schools, hospitals and outpatient clinics, the Military, international nonprofits, universities and various community settings. I currently have a private practice with offices in Napa, in addition to my virtual office, where I provide "teletherapy" to clients in both California and Texas.
​
My therapy training began in public schools with special education, K-12. I counseled children with mental health concerns and led life skills groups. I worked intensively with adolescents (and their caregivers) in alternative school programs burdened by emotional concerns.
​
I spent most of the next decade working in hospitals, both pediatric and adult, assessing and responding to a variety of issues including devastating diagnoses, chronic health conditions, end of life issues, infertility and pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and mental health crises. During this time, I taught and supervised students for the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Social Work. After ten years, I shifted out of the hospital setting to therapist lead of an integrated behavioral healthcare network where I helped build a program for providing mental health and case management to a pediatric and family medical practice serving 30,000 low income families.
​
An opportunity led me to England for two years, where I managed a prevention and education campaign related to new parent support and family violence prevention. I educated US Air Force members and families on topics such as stress and anger management, PTSD, resilience, healthy dating, couple's communication and parenting, while co-facilitating support groups on chronic medical conditions. During this time, I also worked with Airmen and families on managing stress before and after deployments and transitioning to civilian life after a military career.
​
After a brief return to the U.S. to study Spanish at the Defense Language Institute of Monterey, I moved to South America and worked for the U.S. Embassy while volunteering with a Chilean nonprofit. During this time, I researched advances in counseling and coaching methodology. Although I have a working knowledge of Spanish, I do not provide services in Spanish at this time.
​
In 2014, I relocated to Napa, pregnant again after experiencing pregnancy loss. After treating parents for postpartum depression and anxiety, I experienced it first-hand and became aware of a need for expanded maternal mental health support in my community. So I added services to my private practice that would address infertility, pregnancy and postpartum mental health support, Moxie Motherhood, and co-founded a pregnant and postpartum peer support program.
​​
For almost two decades, I have honed my clinical expertise from problem-focused to possibility-focused. I remain current on research and active in the professional dialogue of wellness, balancing my time between counseling, coaching, teaching, volunteering and parenting. Read more here.
​
I welcome the opportunity to support you.

Scott Fleming has nearly twenty years of experience journeying with people who have reached their life’s peaks and those that have encountered their lowest valleys. His experience includes working in acute care hospitals, clinics, church counseling centers, and private practice. In addition, he’s held academic and leadership positions in various settings for his entire career. He is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (FL IMH 22614) and a seasoned Certified Pastoral Counselor.

Combining the latest best evidence-based practices, clinical expertise, and other psychological advancements with a personalized approach, he cares for patients experiencing the emotional, spiritual, and psychological toll that comes with a variety of conditions and situations. Scott strives to be person-centered yet solution-focused in his approach. He counsels from a relational counseling model, holding to the core belief that an individual cannot heal or grow outside the context of meaningful relationships.

Scott believes each person has a unique and sacred story justifying that treatment plans should be genuinely crafted with the client in mind. He has a gift for creating a safe place for people to process their pain and bond with his clients in meaningful ways. Scott subscribes to an eclectic, integrated approach customized to your unique story incorporating elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Adlerian theory, Narrative techniques, solution-focused results, and existential principles. He seeks to partner with every patient in their healing process - mutually collaborative and committed to the process.

Scott considers the counseling relationship to be sacred and not one to be taken lightly. It takes much courage to step into counseling, whether it’s your first time or the first time in a while. In meeting with a new counselor, clients often secretly hope that this relationship works out so they don’t have to start over or walk away from therapy. This truth is something Scott understands and values. Whatever brings you into counseling, Scott aims to cultivate a grace-filled environment where you will be met without judgment.

Scott specializes in working with clergy, healthcare professionals, first responders, educators, and military personnel.

Issues he treats include Anxiety, Coping Issues, Depression, Family Conflict, Moral Injury, Compassion Fatigue / Burnout, Peer Relationships, Relationship Issues, Self Esteem, Stress, Caregiver Stress, and vicarious trauma.

Whether you’re encountering a bump in the road or a boulder in your path, Scott would be honored to walk with you toward your desired goals.

"When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own the story, we can write a brave new ending." -Brené Brown.

Believing these words, I create a safe, non-judgmental, compassionate space for adult individuals, couples and families to own and process their stories, while finding meaning, healing and growth. We are dynamic people, capable of change and restoration, and it is an honor to facilitate and walk with a person through this process. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, addiction, chronic illness, marital concerns, trauma, anger management, international adjustments and transitions, infertility and adoption.

In my therapeutic approach, emotional honesty is key in owning our stories and in being able to verbalize the impact of our family histories. Learning to accept how we feel helps us own our failures and mistakes. As your therapist, I will hold space, empowering you to make courageous decisions towards hope/healing/change.

I attended Taylor University in Indiana where I received my BA in Psychology and International Studies, after which I received my MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA. I grew up in North Africa and Western Europe in a multi-cultural family.

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).