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My name is Melinda Drake. I am a licensed clinical social worker in California, New York, and Hawaii, and am also licensed as an Independent Social Worker for Clinical and Advanced Practice in South Carolina. I have worked in the behavioral health field for more than 25 years in chronic mental illness, substance use, and intellectual disabilities. Most of the individuals I worked with experienced trauma in their lives. Through my journey as a clinician, I've found that to help people deal with the issues that created angsts in their lives, I need to meet them where they are.
My approach
Whether I am using EMDR, brainspotting, CPT, or trauma-focused CBT, it is the connection with the individual that allows changes to happen. Being provided the privilege to guide individuals in difficult areas of their lives, allows the individual to find their own answers. The individuals know themselves more than anyone, starting where they are allows for the change that they want to happen to occur.
My focus
I have worked with individuals dealing with the co-morbidity of substance use and mental health disorders. So I of whom have had sexual addictions and relationship issues.
My communication style
Safety is my primary focus, a person needs to feel safe in order to let go of issues that they have held onto. I create a safe place where a person can be themselves and feel that they are not being judged.
My journey to mental healthcare
I became a social worker when I saw the need among foster care children to have some stability and normalcy in their lives. As a therapist, I found satisfaction in making a difference in someone's life.
My goals for you
You can't get to a destination unless you know where you are going; this is the same way by which I guide an individual to set the goal they need to help themselves.
My first session with you
Clients should expect in the first session, that they are in control of their lives and that they hold the key to their own recovery, whether they are dealing with substance use, trauma, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
