The family down the street just brought their newborn home from the hospital. It looks like they have it all: a happy marriage, a beautiful home in the suburbs, and now a precious new baby. And while they do feel blessed and certainly appreciate their blessings, there is an internal struggle that needs help and support.
“We don’t always portray on the outside what’s really going on on the inside,” said Melanie Smith, LIMHP, a mental health therapist and owner of Good Talk Counseling Services.
Smith said she sees patients from all walks of life; however, her specialty is helping women in their childbearing years who may be dealing with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, post-partum depression, psychosis, or infertility issues.
“This came from my own experience with post-partum PTSD,” Smith said. “I felt like there was not a huge population dealing with this at the time, but I soon realized I was not alone.”
Smith said she offers several therapeutical modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which helps patients understand how their thoughts affect their emotions and how emotions affect behavior. Another helpful option is Reality Therapy when people understand how their choices affect their lives and how those choices affect people around them. In addition, Smith offers Solution-Focused therapy which involves dealing directly with the presenting problem.
Smith said most patients are in therapy for six to 12 months, however, everyone’s treatment plan is individualized and based on their needs. She hopes the cost is not prohibitive for a patient, and she will be happy to help them with insurance approval. For added convenience, visits may be in person or by telehealth.
“I love what I do,” Smith said. “I’m passionate about my work and I want to give everyone the opportunity to access therapy.”
Smith said for far too long our society has been engaged in mental health shaming but thankfully that is beginning to improve.
“People need to know there is help out there. You are never alone,” she said.
goodtalkcounselingservice.com | 402.872.0839