Whether you are struggling with anxiety, trauma, or addiction, I can offer you a safe place to heal and grow. Looking into therapy is a brave first step in taking control of your life, and no matter what you are going through, I’ll meet you with compassion and respect. I believe my holistic approach to treating the mind, body, and soul—something I am very passionate about—can help you discover your best self.
I believe the ability to form close attachments and maintain satisfying relationships is at the core of a fulfilling life. That’s why I often work through a cognitive behavioral/emotional attachment lens, utilizing the therapeutic relationship to foster trust and connection. And because trauma is often at the root of many people’s pain, I’m also trained in EMDR.
My mission is to help you feel safe so you can tell your story, heal past emotional wounds, and find relief in the present. I have experience in various mental health settings, including residential, partial hospitalization, and individual therapy. As a trauma-informed therapist, I love working with adults dealing with anxiety, addiction, and trauma.

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).

Megan received her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Certificate in Trauma Counseling from Richmont Graduate University. While obtaining her degree, Megan gained experience at Peachford Hospital in the Partial Hospitalization Program working with adults, adolescents, and children. At Hope Counseling Center, Megan worked with adults experiencing trauma, addictions, grief and loss, identity issues, relationship issues, and life transitions. Megan currently works at Grow Counseling and Fayette Accountability Counseling and specializes in the following areas:

Complex Trauma
Addictions (substance and process)
Grief and Loss
Body and Self-Image
Career Development

I'm a Brazilian-Korean-American Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. My academic background includes a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Georgia State University. Fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming a therapist, I have a profound belief in the transformative power of psychotherapy. Despite the effort it demands, the path is unquestionably rewarding. I place my confidence in the inherent strength within every client, fostering transformation from the inside out. I value honesty, compassion, authenticity, inclusivity, growth, and I approach my work with professionalism and care.

My goal is not to 'fix' your problems or talk you out of your emotions; instead, I'll guide you in understanding them, helping uncover their root causes for a deeper insight into yourself, your relationships, and behavior patterns. As your therapist, I prioritize creating a warm, non-judgmental space for you to process your experiences, and recognize the intricate layers that contribute to your overall well-being.

I integrate evidence-based approaches such as Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, Somatic, Narrative, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Mindfulness practices. I am also EMDR trained and fluent in Portuguese. During our sessions, I'll invite you to explore how early experiences may influence your current behavior, consider the body-mind connection, and embrace the possibility of developing new thought patterns and practices for a more balanced life.

I have helped clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma and post traumatic stress, racial trauma, grief, perfectionism, self-esteem, relationship/communication issues, and identity exploration. I offer in-person and virtual sessions.

When not counseling, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, playing music, and cooking pasta.

I believe that we all have the capacity to grow towards becoming better versions of ourselves. I work systemically and collaboratively with individuals, couples, and families to help them achieve their desired goals for treatment. I place great emphasis on developing a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients, while also valuing the inherent ability that each person has to work towards individual growth and change. I utilize a variety of interventions in working with clients, viewing treatment through the lens of experiential and structural therapy.

For Adolescents in distress…
The teen and preteen years can be exciting, but also extremely challenging, especially when your child appears to be struggling. Challenging teen behaviors or poor academic performance can be frustrating for the parent, but also may signal that your child is not at their best. I enjoy working with adolescents to help them better understand and manage their struggles, while also helping to build the bridge of communication with the family, fostering a stronger parent-child relationship.

For Families in distress…
Family can be a source of strength, joy, and companionship, but can also feel tense, uncomfortable, and broken when not functioning at its best. It is extremely common to feel "stuck" in the same patterns of behavior. Families often are great solvers of their own problems, but when it feels like you’ve tried everything, often therapy can help family members learn to relate in new and more rewarding ways.

For Couples in distress…
Ever feel like you have the same arguments with your partner over and over again? Do you worry that you’ve tried everything and feel like you keep getting the same outcome? While these feelings of being "stuck" can be highly stressful, there is hope. Therapy can help couples identify new, positive interaction patterns towards a more fulfilling relationship.

I am an experienced Associate Marriage Family Therapy who is dedicated to helping children, teenagers, and adults cope with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and adjustment issues.

"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.

Feeling anxious, stuck, or just in need of someone to talk to? You’re not alone. Deciding to find a counselor is an amazing and powerful first step. Let me help you with the rest. Each session with me is specific to who you are and what you need. I find joy in helping my clients discover who they are and achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

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!

I am a minister and psychotherapist who values the healthy integration of faith along with the best of the behavioral sciences. I value spiritually grounded and psychologically informed care. One professional specialty has grief and loss.