Melissa holds a master’s degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Addictions Counselor. She has experience providing group and individual therapy, psychoeducation, case management, and crisis services as part of multidisciplinary teams in schools, detention centers, drop-in centers, legal settings, police departments, and community mental health centers. She currently works full-time as a first responder, riding call-to-call with police officers as a mental health co-responder. As both a mental health professional and a first responder, Melissa has a deep understanding of how stress and trauma can affect even the most resilient people, and she is committed to providing a safe space for other first responders to process their experiences, heal, and grow.