MELISSA MILNE PERCY, LCSW - The Gottman Method Couples Therapy in California, Oregon, and Nevada, and Individual Counseling online

I want to help you and your partner create the life you deserve.

I am here to help you get unstuck and move forward with confidence and hope, so let’s get to work building the life you want!

A little About Me: I have had 29 years of professional experience and training. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1999, and am Level 3 trained in The Gottman Method Couples Therapy, a research based therapeutic approach that is proven to help heal and strengthen marriages and romantic relationships.

In addition, I trained with Dr. Brene Brown and her team in 2013 and am a Certified Daring Way Facilitator in her work. The Daring Way™, Rising Strong™, The Gifts of Imperfection, and Connections.

My lived experience of the trauma of divorce and the joy of a second chance at love has motivated me to become trained and certified in helping couples navigate these challenges using The Gottman Method.  I have parented and step parented, and know the challenges and promise of empty nesting and life transitions later in life. I have navigated career transitions and spent some time in the “arena” getting my butt kicked and getting back up again with vulnerability and courage.

The work of Dr. Brene Brown informs my work with my individual clients and my couples. Her focus is on cultivating empathy, authenticity, vulnerability, shame resilience, compassion, connection, and frankly, no BS. I draw on this training and strive to model these qualities in my work with clients.

As a relationship therapist, I can help you improve communication, enhance intimacy, and create lasting change.

Whether it is a tune up or major repair, therapy can bring relief from conflict and restore hope for a happy and satisfying relationship.

 

My therapeutic style is one of empathy and support, but I am also very direct and action-oriented. My goal is to help you feel confident and trust in the process, to build on your strengths, and guide you in learning the skills that will create healthy communication, stronger emotional connection, and satisfying intimacy.

The Gottman Method Couples Therapy can help you build a road map for enhancing and maintaining your intimate relationship.

MY APPROACH

Everything we do in The Gottman Method couple’s therapy will be tailored to you & your partner.

My approach to therapy:

My style is strongly psycho-educational, which means I teach my clients and equip them with tools to help themselves. I am very action oriented, as I work with couples to identify unhealthy relational and thought patterns, so that they can create meaningful and satisfying relationships and progress towards life goals. I offer empathy, understanding, and a non-judgmental approach.

I believe that we must also have some understanding of how our past experiences have shaped us and their influence on our current lives, so I help people integrate this crucial understanding to sustain healthy relationships that will give the connection, joy, and belonging that we all need to thrive.

How my clients describe me and my work:

“Melissa is very highly trained in the Gottman Method and her ability to teach and apply these tools into any situation was far and beyond our expectations. Her cool and calm demeanor navigating through two peoples emotional storm gives you hope when you feel doubt.”

“As a marriage therapist, Melissa is solution focused and concentrates on teaching lifelong skills and habits that will improve your relationship.”

“I suffered a miscarriage, which brought additional challenges to our marriage. Luckily, we had Melissa to help us through this tough time. Not only did she help with the agony of the situation, she personally helped me cope with the heartbreak that lingered for quite some time. She was the light of hope I needed during a dark time in my life”

The Daring Way™ - Dr. Brene' Brown Workshops >

Training & Education

  • 1986, Bachelor of Arts

  • 1991, Master of Social Work

  • 1999, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

  • 2017, The Gottman Institute: Gottman Method training, Levels I, II, III - including Couples and Addiction Recovery, and Treating Affairs and Trauma

  • 2013, Certified “The Daring Way” facilitator of Dr. Brene Brown’s curriculum.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy training

  • 28 years experience as medical social worker in hospital setting

  • Experience in infertility and adoption, high risk pregnancy, complicated and premature births, pregnancy loss and infant death

  • Experience with chronic illness, kidney dialysis and transplantation