Expertise & Professional Journey
Dr Melinda Douglass, Clinical Psychologist
Hello. I have been practicing therapy for the past twenty years and enjoy working with people to make positive and sometimes challenging changes in their lives. My approach incorporates contemporary psychodynamic, developmental, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness techniques for couples, individuals & groups. I am a clinical psychologist licensed in the following states: California (PSY 24855), Oregon (3774), Washington (PY 61369203) and New York (026280). I am able to see clients in the 44 states that participate in PsyPact. Contact me for more information about my approach to therapy.
With decades of experience facilitating groups from structured psycho-education and dialectical-behavioral skills groups to unstructured interpersonal process and psycho-dynamic groups, I have come to realize that it is often through our relationships that we learn about ourselves.
I worked as a management consultant for seven years, including at Bain & Company, prior to becoming a psychologist. I understand how important personal development is to professional success.
Clinical Residency & Specialization
I completed my doctoral degree at the California Institute for Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. My pre-doctoral internship was at the UCSF Department of Psychiatry (ranked 13th nationwide in psychiatry by U.S. News) at San Francisco General Hospital in 2007 at the Trauma Recovery Center (TRC). At the TRC, I developed a specialty in trauma and work to establish safety and emotional stabilization utilizing Lisa Najavits’ “Seeking Safety” skills and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills developed by Marsha Linehan.
My Post-doctoral training was completed at the Center for Family Issues in San Francisco, CA. I provided psychodynamic relational therapy for individuals, couples, and groups. Some useful frameworks include understanding and working with projection (patterns from earlier relationships), personality styles (MBTI), models of development both personal and relational, and communication skills (Gottman; Bader & Pearson’s developmental model).
I completed a two-year intensive training for group therapists at The Psychotherapy Institute in Berkeley, CA. Currently, I am holding co-ed process groups online, focusing on interpersonal interactions, group process, self-awareness, dating, early career issues, and patterns in relationships.
Telehealth, Wellness & Holistic Integration
In recent years, Dr. Douglass has transitioned her practice to offer all modalities - individual, couples & group therapy - via telehealth. Telehealth allows for the integration of wellness into modern life, where the client may benefit from services while located at home, work, or another location. Her work emphasizes that mental well-being should be accessible, flexible, and holistically integrated into our daily lives.
A Collaborative Path to Healing
My therapeutic approach is founded on the belief that meaningful change occurs within a trusted partnership. By blending evidence-based psychotherapy with a compassionate, person-centered philosophy, I provide a telehealth space where we can explore the roots of anxiety, depression, and relationship distress. We focus on uncovering insights that lead to lasting resilience and emotional well-being, ensuring that your journey toward wellness is both deeply personal and professionally guided.