Melissa Phares, MSW, LICSW

If you're worried about a loved one with substance use issues, I offer counseling to renew your own self-care while figuring out how to best support your loved one. Helping people close to those with substance problems is my specialty. I am a social worker with fifteen years of experience helping people create healthy change. I named my practice Many Paths Counseling because I feel there is more than one "right" way to feel better, find answers, heal from the past, and kindle hope for the future. Clients have said I am non-judgmental, genuine, patient, and focused.

I also offer EMDR for anxiety relief and trauma resolution. Up-close experiences with substance use disorder and psychiatric problems in loved ones often means experiencing very stressful and even traumatic events. EMDR offers a path for resolving those past traumas so that we can move forward with less anxiety. I also use EMDR to assist recovery from past abuse and other traumatic events.

As a social worker, I am mindful of broader oppressive factors that may bear on a person's journey in counseling. I strive to provide an affirming and therapeutic environment to all.