Clinician's Sex/Gender
Female
Melissa Garriss
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
About
My journey to obtain a degree and license in Professional Counseling started in 2005. I felt the Lord calling me to move from career aspirations to following Him in serving those in need of assistance through counseling. I resigned from a job in healthcare human resources to attend an integrated graduate school (Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta, GA) where we learned applied psychology and Christian theology together.
Rather than create bandaid solutions for deep wounds, I hope clients will encounter the Lord Jesus so they can have true transformation and healing. Whether it is in utilizing skills learned through CBT or the reprocessing of traumatic memory through EMDR, I collaborate with the client to facilitate the changes they need to make to walk out healing in their lives.
Prior to accepting a client, I seek the Lord’s wisdom in prayer about my abilities to serve the client well. I also pray for wisdom and understanding from Him about my clients prior to and in between sessions. I utilize Scripture and prayer in session when clients are seeking and desire that.
Provider details
Handicap Accessible
Yes
Cities
- Raleigh
- Wake Forest
- Fayetteville
- Youngsville
- Richmond
- Locust Grove
- Charlottesville
- Orange
- Culpeper
- Fredericksburg
- Warrenton
- Sanford
Counties
- Wake
- Cumberland
- Franklin
- Richmond
- Rappahannock
- Orange County
- Hanover
- Culpeper
- Spotsylvania County
- Duplin
ZIPs
- 22508
- 22401
- 22701
- 23173
- 23221
- 22407
- 22408
- 22551
- 22960
- 22942
- 20186
- 27596
- 27587
- 27588
- 27513
- 27529
- 27605
- 27615
- 27330
- 28466
- 22601
- 27613
- 27610
Teleheath
Yes
Which state(s) do you offer Telehealth
- NC
- VA
Individual Sessions
- 50-60 min
Other Sessions
- Telehealth
Psychological Testing
No
Ages
- Adult (18-70)
- Senior (70+)
Special Populations
- Ministry Leaders
Talk Therapies
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),
- Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Relational
- Interpersonal Therapy
Strengths
- Faith Struggles
- Stress
- Loss
- Grief
- Work Issues
- Resilience
- Family Struggles
- Spiritual struggles
Agree with the AACC Doctrinal Statement
Yes
Do you agree with the AACC Ethical Position
Yes
Biblical Integration – Verbally integrating Biblical principles, passages, doctrines, stories, and information into your treatment session
Yes
Do you utilize homework’s assignments for patients to do in between sessions?
Yes
What type of treatment approach do you utilize most frequently?
- Solution focused approach
How direct is your approach with patients?
- I share my insights, opinions, views and expertise with the patient
Payment Methods Accepted
- Credit Card
- Check
- Zelle
Do you accept payment plans
Yes
Do you provide or work with an organization that provides loans for treatment
No
Educational History
- School:Richmont Graduate University (formerly Psychological Studies Institute)
- Degree:Masters Degree
- School:Mary Washington University (formerly Mary Washington College)
- Degree:Undergrad
Years In Practice
18
License Numbers
- Name:State License
- Number:7594
- State:
- NC
- Name:State License
- Number:0701006544
- State:
- VA
Professional Associations
- Christian Association for Psychological Studies
- AACC
- Other
Professional Associations Other
American Counseling Association, Acts 2 Network (Ordained Minister), National Board of Certified Counselors
Do you agree that counseling is not fully Christian if a counselor’s faith shapes their posture but not their methods?
Yes
Do you agree that the deepest personal help a person needs cannot be fully received apart from faith in Christ, even through counseling?
Yes
Do you agree that Scripture speaks authoritatively to the deepest roots of human problems?
Yes
Do you agree that it is not appropriate to support or affirm a client’s chosen course of action when it conflicts with Scripture, even in the name of autonomy?
Yes
Do you agree that people do not possess all the internal resources needed for truth and healing apart from God, regardless of insight, support, or time?
Yes
