Melissa Brodie (she/her)

Finding a Space to Simply Be

If you’re here, you might be longing space where you don’t have to perform, hold it all together, or filter yourself. A place where your thoughts, questions, emotions, and patterns can exist without judgment.

Like most people, you’re probably wearing a lot of hats: the professional, the partner, the parent, the friend. But where do you get to just take off the mask? Therapy can be that space - where you can exhale, unmask, and come back to yourself.

My Journey

My path to becoming a therapist began when my own life felt overwhelming. I was taking on too much, putting everyone above myself, and slowly losing connection with parts of myself. Beneath it all was a simmering exhaustion and resentment I couldn’t ignore.

Therapy became a turning point, a space where I could explore, question, and be fully seen without judgment. That experience shaped not only my healing, but also the way I show up for others now.

I genuinely love getting to know people. Their stories, their cultural backgrounds, the layers that make them who they are. I’m deeply curious about what’s been carried, what’s been hidden, and what’s ready to be come forward.

You might find yourself here if you…

• feel stuck in your head, overthinking, anticipating, or carrying a constant hum of anxiety
• feel disconnected, heavy, or not quite like yourself (even if everything looks “fine” on the outside)
• keep having the same conflicts in your relationships and aren’t sure how to shift the pattern
• love your children deeply but feel overwhelmed, touched out, reactive, or unsure of how to respond in the moment
• are navigating the tension between your cultural identity and family expectations
• are carrying the grief, waiting, and isolation that can come with infertility
• are a teen (or parenting one) trying to make sense of identity, pressure, and an increasingly complex world

If you see yourself in these words, it may be time to get some help with the heavy lifting. You’ve been carrying so much already. Let me hold it with you.

How I Work

I am an EMDR-trained Associate Marriage and Family Therapist working with adults, couples, and teenagers. My approach is warm, relational, and non-judgmental.

I integrate:
• Psychoanalytic & Attachment Theory
• Neuroscience & Somatic Practices
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Self-Compassion
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

I’m interested in the patterns you’ve developed to cope, the roles you’ve learned to play, and how your past experiences continue to shape your present. Together, we’ll gently explore what’s underneath so you can move through your life with more clarity, choice, and ease.

My sessions are collaborative and human. I’m not here to observe from a distance. I’m here with you.

A Special Note for Teens & Parents

I have a deep passion for working with teenagers and understanding the unique challenges they face today. During my time with the Southern California Counseling Center’s school-based program, I provided counseling within LAUSD high schools, supporting teens as they navigated identity, pressure, relationships, and emotional overwhelm.

Whether you’re a teen or a parent, therapy can be a space to slow things down, build understanding, and feel more connected.

Education & Training

M.A. in Clinical Psychology – Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology
M.Ed. in Education – Harvard Graduate School of Education
B.A. in Social Welfare, Minor in Asian American Studies – University of California, Berkeley
Clinical Training – Southern California Counseling Center (SCCC)

I look forward to connecting with you and offering a space to explore your past, understand your present, and move toward what’s possible next.

Melissa is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist AMFT #146551 under the supervision of Sam Weiss Licensed Clinical Social Worker, #86590. Melissa holds a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology and a Masters of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.