Melissa Hansen

It is a privilege for me to be on this journey of counseling with you. And it is an honor that you would consider working with me. I am an existential, psychodynamic, pastoral psychotherapist who longs to see healing, growth, and freedom in the life of each of my clients. It is a privilege to sit with you, to hold your story in my mind and heart, to hear and see you, to laugh and cry with you, and to offer a redemptive, healing perspective whenever I can. The connection between mind, body, and spirit is intriguing, mysterious, and powerful. The depth with which changes in one of these areas affects the others continues to amaze me. In many fields we try to separate them, but we cannot. We see vast amounts of research and evidence which continues to support this interconnectedness. I entered this field because I wanted to help people in a way that fits who I am, what I have to offer, and in which I believed that I could be the most effective. It isn't glamorous but it is beautiful work - I love what I do! I love it so much that I often feel more energized when I get home than when I leave in the morning. I like working with individuals, but I also enjoy guiding couples toward a deeper understanding of each other, and therefore toward intimacy and new life in their marriage. Working on relationships is very difficult and often painful but the benefits are worth every bit of work. Even healthy relationships can benefit from deepening their knowledge of and care for one another. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts in 2000 and my Master's in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2012. I have been practicing the art and science of counseling and psychotherapy for since I graduated.