We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa True a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I have always been someone who pushes myself a littler harder than I should when it comes to work. When I moved from Maine to Texas there was this feeling of disconnect from my hometown. I begin exploring the world of Telehealth to be able to still provide services to my Maine community while also beginning work in Texas and establishing a life here. This was in 2016, where my private practice was formed as a part-time practice. In 2020 when the pandemic hit the need for services and the lack of providers was high. I was turning people away. I spent the good portion of 2020 and the first half of 2021 managing my full-time job and working full-time in my practice evening and weekends. It was April/May of 2021 when I had to make a choice- to keep going at the rate I was or to take the risk of letting my full-time job go and believing in myself. I ended my job in June of 2021 and since that time I have steadily kept the growth of my business going. I have added additional state licensures to treat virtually in 12 states as of today. This year I have signed on to work with a Professional Coach to grow my practice from a solo practice to a group practice. The risks are high but I know its the right direction for me! I am hoping for BIG growth for True Counseling Services. I have no more of “me” to give so its time to expand.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Melissa True is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker located in Fort Worth, TX. Melissa aims to give her clients the perspective and the tools they need to grow their mental health. By giving them these tools, clients can continue their journeys outside of session. Many of Melissa’s clients suffer from the impacts of anxiety, depression, and the aftereffects of trauma. Often, individuals who have experienced trauma will have difficulty connecting with others, sleeping at night, managing their emotions, and more. This can sometimes lead to substance abuse or toxic relationship dynamics.
Melissa’s approach to therapy draws from many different evidence-based therapy modalities, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She teaches clients techniques to decrease instances of becoming overwhelmed by their emotions, including deep breathing, distraction, and reflection. Clients also learn how to assess their thoughts for assumptions and cognitive distortions, which can lead to distressing emotions. She does this in a trauma-informed way, making sure that all clients feel safe during their sessions.
Melissa earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine. She is a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional, a Clinical Telemental Health Provider, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She takes a strengths-based perspective when she works with clients, emphasizing the role that each client’s unique strengths can play when it comes to growing mental health.
As of today, I am most proud of the overall work I do and the relationships I build with my clients- mostly the growth they experience in our time together.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.truecounselingservicespllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truecounselingservices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueCounselingServices
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/true-counselingservices-pllc/
- Other: https://zencare.co/provider/therapist/melissa-true https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/true-counseling-services-pllc-fort-worth-tx/309245
Image Credits
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