About Melissa Gerson, LCSW

Founder and Therapist

My philosophy…

I believe that therapy should be an active process that moves along steadily. I value your time and this financial investment you’re making, so I’ll often check in to make sure I’m fully meeting your needs and helping you move forward.

I believe in drawing from established treatments that are proven to work. Who am I to make up techniques on a whim when very smart people have spent years refining and triple-testing strategies to ensure they’re effective? My job is to know these interventions and deliver them skillfully to fit your needs like a glove.

I believe people can change and grow in therapy; if they don’t, it’s the “fault” of the therapy, so the approach needs to change.

My style…

I’m an active therapist who’s not afraid to share thoughts and feelings openly as they come up.

I have over 20 years of experience, so there’s a natural clinical confidence in my work. I don’t get ruffled easily. I’ve also seen it all and have learned how to navigate a vast range of challenges.

Like any strong therapist, I’m particularly good at listening, synthesizing what you say, and presenting my understanding to you. This process makes you feel seen and heard, and it helps you understand yourself better, too.

I’ll talk about myself when it’s helpful or validating to YOU, and we’ll have a few laughs when the time is right.

What’s shaped my work as a therapist…

Over the years, being an employer and manager of a therapy team has dramatically sharpened my communication and supervisory skills as a therapist and manager. I’m always eager to share with my colleagues and clients the knowledge and strategies that have helped me the most over the years.

Being a parent of two “spirited” children (thoughtful choice of words) has enhanced my ability to empathize with and support other parents managing various challenges with their children of all ages.

Lastly, I’m always thinking about what motivates behavior – how to increase wanted behaviors and discourage the unwanted. This is handy knowledge because getting what you want out of life is about encouraging helpful actions from yourself and from others in your orbit.

My most important credentials and successes…

I’ve spent the last couple of decades training in a vast range of evidence-based treatments. It’s a dizzying list of acronyms (e.g., CBT, CBT-E, CBT-AR, DBT, FBT, IPT, SSCM, FBI, and more).

Among my most important achievements is my certification in Family-Based Treatment (FBT), a potent, life-saving modality for treating severe eating disorders in young people.

I’ve founded three centers for mental health over the last 20 years: two focused on treating eating disorders and “Momentum Psychotherapy,” a more generalist practice dedicated to helping people access expertly delivered mental health services.

Since 2008, I’ve trained multiple generations of clinical professionals and have dedicated myself to clinical practice, writing, and presenting on a range of mental health topics for professionals and laypeople.

My top three qualities…

(1) Passion
(2) Experience
(3) Creativity

Fun facts about me…

I’m a big supporter of career changes! I was a professional ballet dancer before retiring at 26 and pursuing psychology.

My kids and I started fostering rescue kittens last year. At the time of writing this, we’re on our seventh litter. We’ve raised over 20 little kittens for adoption.

I make an incredible pasta Bolognese.

I’m learning how to garden. I know way more than anyone should about slope erosion and drought-tolerant ground cover.

I can get showered, dressed, and out the door in under five minutes!