Melissa Daoud

Expertise:

• Anxiety & Depression
• Self-Harm
• Academic stress
• Learning Differences
• Life Transitions
• Parenting & Family Conflict
• Relationships

Melissa (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #119476, and her work has always centered on children, teens, and their families. She tailors her approach to each client’s unique needs and offers the support needed for them to navigate relationships, identity, and the stressors that accompany work and school. She believes that people should be understood in the context of their environment and is comfortable working with her clients not only on an individual level–but with their families, partners, and schools as well.

Melissa prioritizes creating a genuine environment with warmth and humor, coupled with evidence-based practices to promote growth and healing. Her work with clients is informed by Relational Developmental Systems Theory and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), ensuring a groundedness in their background and development while also building skills to move forward. When working with couples, she uses the Gottman Method and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) to encourage connection and help resolve conflict. With families, she draws from Structural Family Therapy and Attachment-Based Family Therapy theories, which help identify detrimental patterns and provide a path toward repair. Her bicultural background as a Muslim-American woman also means that she understands the importance of cultural sensitivity in therapy and the ways that differing cultural backgrounds can affect relationships.

Melissa’s previous work as part of school-based psychotherapy programs also gives her extensive experience in understanding the difficulties a student may face and the different methods available to address them individually or in collaboration with faculty. Her role as a parent of three (not including her two cats) informs her worldview, as she understands first-hand the complexity that can be a part of balancing family dynamics. Outside the office, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and working out.

Education:

• M.A., Santa Clara University, Counseling Psychology
• M.A., San Jose State University, Research and Experimental Psychology
• B.A., San Jose State University, Psychology

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