Hi, I’m Melissa Clark, LCSW. I know this work from the inside.

My story

I’ve walked through heartbreak, rebuilding, and starting over myself, and that’s a big part of why I do this work.

I rebuilt my life from the ground up. My own healing changed my relationship with myself, and with it, every other relationship in my life. I moved from anger and emotional chaos toward peace, confidence, and intentionality. When a client tells me, “I understand where this comes from, but I’m still stuck in it,” I know that place, and I know it can change.

How I got here

That journey sent me to college and into more than ten years of teaching, from preschool through high school, including work with children with severe emotional disturbances in a residential treatment setting. I became a mental health counselor, then a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

I’ve seen how deeply heartbreak, relationship trauma, and old patterns can shape a person’s life. What I didn’t find enough of in traditional training was a focus on actually working through what happened, not just talking about it. I found that in Gestalt work and in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method through Touched by a Horse. It changed my own life and relationships, and it shapes how I work with every client.

How I work

My clients describe me as direct, honest, and easy to talk to. They also say I’m practical and insightful, and that I help them get clear and make changes that actually stick. I’m warm, and I’ll be honest with you. I’ll push when it helps, and I’ll respect your pace.

I’m not an advice-giver, and I’m not a dating coach. I’ll help you uncover your own answers. There is a structure, but we also work with what is coming up in real time. That can include:

• Temperament work, to see how you’re naturally wired.
• Mapping your family history, to see what you inherited, and what you want to keep.
• Parts work and values work, so you can live and love with intention.
• Anger work, one of my favorite parts of what I do, and a real relief for a lot of people, men especially.
• Sessions outdoors, virtually, or with horses. Ever wondered how horses help people heal? Ask about equine-partnered sessions.

I practice Gestalt therapy, an experiential, present-focused approach that helps you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and patterns so you can make more authentic, aligned choices. It emphasizes personal responsibility and uses awareness in the moment to support lasting change and deeper connection to yourself and others. My work blends grounded clinical training with experiential, somatic approaches.

I want to create a space where people feel truly seen, understood, and supported as they heal, reconnect with themselves, and rebuild trust in their relationships.

Who I work with

I work with men and women who are successful in a lot of areas of life but feel lost when it comes to love. Some are going through a breakup or a divorce. Some are recovering from betrayal. Some are single and quietly wondering why they haven’t found their person. Many of them love the outdoors and would rather talk on a trail than in a waiting room.

Breakup and heartbreak Divorce Relationship trauma and betrayal Still looking for your person Therapy Groups, workshops and retreats