Melissa Daoud

My work as a therapist has always centered around children, teens, and their families. I tailor my approach to each client’s needs and offer the support needed to navigate relationships, identity, and the stressors that accompany work and school. When working with a client, I find it crucial to understand the context of their environment to address wellness needs. As such, I am comfortable working with clients not only on an individual level but also with their families, partners, and schools. As a specialist in child and teen therapy, family therapy, and parent coaching, I frequently support young people navigating child anxiety, teen anxiety, ADHD, and OCD. In my sessions, I prioritize a genuine relationship with clients, blending warmth and humor with evidence-based practices to promote growth and healing. My clinical practice is deeply informed by Relational Developmental Systems Theory and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This ensures that my approach is tailored to the the background of my clients, creating tools which effectively contribute to their wellbeing. Family and relationship dynamics are central to my work. When working with couples, I use the Gottman Method and Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) to encourage connection and help resolve conflict. With families, I draw on Structural Family Therapy and Attachment-Based Family Therapy to help identify detrimental patterns, improve family communication, and provide a path toward repair. My bicultural background as a Muslim-American woman also means that I understand the importance of cultural sensitivity in therapy, and the unique ways that differing cultural backgrounds can affect relationships. My previous work in school-based psychotherapy programs provides me with extensive experience in understanding the specific difficulties students face. I am highly skilled at addressing these challenges both individually and in collaboration with school teachers and staff. On a personal note, my role as a parent of three (and two cats) shapes my worldview, helping me understand firsthand the real-world complexity of balancing family dynamics and parent-teen relationships.