Melissa Vann is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and maintains a private practice in Huntsville, Alabama. She has a Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science and a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology.
With over fifteen years of experience as a therapist, she is currently serving as a private practitioner working with a broad range of clients. Melissa worked ten years at the National Childen's Advocacy Center; two years as a therapist. Also worked at Family Services Center and Alabama Psychiatric Services, providing therapy to adults and children. Among her areas of expertise are treatments for depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, complex trauma, dissociation, child sexual abuse, stress management, codependency, and coping strategies.
Melissa is trained and certified in EMDR (Eye Mov ement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and a member of EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). EMDR has been used for over twenty years and is a recommended therapy for trauma and distressing events that have resulted in a change in the way a person feels about themselves or the world around them. EMDR has also been used to address other issues such as anxiety, depression, procrastination, stress reduction, and sexual abuse. For more information about EMDR, please visit the EMDRIA website at www.EMDRIA.org.
Melissa is a trained Internal Family Systems Therapist (IFS). IFS is a therapeutic approach that is compassionate, spiritual, healing, and respectful of our internal experiences. IFS recognizes that we all have a psyche that is made up of different parts. Examples of parts you may relate to are: the judgmental part, the internal critic, and the emotional younger part. The goal of IFS therapy is to increase internal harmony among parts. The key to this process is connecting with our spiritual center, that is compassionate, calm, curious, confident, connected, caring, and creative.
Melissa integrates complementary therapies to offer a personalized approach for each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.
Dedicated to continued education in the counseling field, Melissa has completed the following trainings:
- Completed 8 hours of Internal Family Systems Model training at the IFS Virtual Conference (October 2021)
- Completed 13.5 hours of EMDR training at the EMDRIA Virtual Conference (November 2021)
- Completes 19 hours of Internal Family Systems Model training at the IFS Annual Conference in Denver, CO (September 2019)
- Completed 13.5 hours of EMDR training at the EMDRIA Conference in Atlanta, GA (October 2018)
- Completed 12 hour training "The Body in EMDR: Essential Skills" in New York, NY (October 2017)
- Completed 6.5 hour on-line training "When There Are No Words" (August 2017)
- Completed 12 hour training "EMDR Therapy in the Treatment of Shame, Guild, and Moral Injury" in Cartersville, GA (April 2017)
- Completed 100 hour Internal Family Systems Model Therapy Level I Training in Cartersville, Georgia (March, 2015-January, 2016)
- Completed 12 hour virtual training "1st Summit on EMDR Therapy and Attachment; Healing the Wounded Self across the Lifespan" (June 2014)
- Completed 13.5 hours of EMDR advanced training at the EMDRIA Conference in Austin, TX (September 2013)
- Completed 10 hours of individual EMDR consultation with Dr. Jim Knipe, Master EMDR Clinician (August 2013)
- Completed 14 hour training "Healing the Heart of Trauma with EMDR and Ego State Therapy, Tuscaloosa, AL (August 2012)
- Completed 20 hours EMDR consultation (March 2012)
- Completed 14-hour training "Using the EMDR AIP Model for Treating Adult Clients with Complex PTSD" in Chicago, IL (November 2011
- Completed 6.5-hour training "The Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (RETEP)" in Birmingham, AL (July 2011)
- Completed 10 hours of EMDR consultation (August 2010)
- Completed 40-hour EMDRIA approved training on EMDR in Birmingham, AL (April 2010)
- Completed 6-hour training "Personaility Disorders in Social Work and Health Care" (November 2008)
- Completed 5.6-hour training :Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Grief on Children: The Use of Therapeutic Storytelling in Play Therapy with Traumatized Children" (May 2005)
- Completed 28-hour training "Advanced Forensic Interviewing of Children" a the The National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, AL (October 2004)
- Completed 30-hour training "Conducting Forensic Evidentiary Interviews with Children Exposed to Child Abuse, Family or Community Violence and Testifying in Criminal Court" at Chadwick Center for Children and Families in San Diego, CA (July 2004)
- Completed 16-hour training "Forensic Evaluation of Children" at the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, AL (June 2004)
- Completed 27-hour training "Forensic Interviewing of Children" at the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, AL (November 2003)
- Completed 24.5-hour training "Basic Clinical Practice; Treating Child Sexual Abuse Trauma" at the National Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, AL (October 2003)
- Attended 24-hour "Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse" in Huntsville for ten years (1996-2005)
