Minds And Hearts Therapy

Healing Minds and
Hearts One Step at a Time

Counseling Services Specializing 
in Trauma and Healing Process

Healing From Past Trauma

Healing Minds and
Hearts One Step at a Time

Counseling Services Specializing 
in Trauma and Healing Process

Healing From Past Trauma
Healing After A Traumatic Event About Border

Thinking About
Counseling or Therapy?

Have you experienced a traumatic or adverse event that is impacting your life?
Have you tried therapy before but you still struggle with feeling unhappy?
Are you tired of repeating patterns of behavior that contribute to your current feelings?
Melissa Oden, Lcsw

Maddie Melissa Oden LCSW

My goal is to assist you in overcoming your struggles, healing from your pain, and progressing towards a healthy and fulfilling life. Your therapeutic journey will be tailored to meet your unique needs.

I specialize in the treatment of trauma, including trauma over the lifespan, also known as Complex PTSD, dissociative presentations, and trauma-informed care through psychotherapy and counseling services. I approach each individual with an open mind, aiming to create a safe environment for you to explore, understand, and develop self-awareness and insight. I am committed to helping you understand how historical trauma has impacted your behaviors and influenced your decision-making. I am passionate about guiding individuals like you through the therapeutic healing process.

About Me

I commend you for seeking answers and support in your journey toward healing. Regardless of whether we begin a therapeutic relationship, I am glad you are taking steps towards understanding and addressing your wounds. I would like to provide you with some more information about me, my journey, and development of the Therapeutic Practices that shaped me as well as the ways I approach therapy. I found the following topics are normally discussed during an initial intake session.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Clayton State University in the spring of 2009. From my first psychology class, I knew this was my chosen field. While working full-time at a medical office, I completed my degree. After graduation, uncertain about my future direction, I continued at the medical practice for nearly ten years. However, I eventually realized that I felt unfulfilled and needed a change.

Lifeโ€™s events led me to the dynamic and essential field of Social Work. During my masterโ€™s program, I left the medical field entirely and began working as an advocate at a local domestic violence program and shelter, a position I held until a few months before graduation. I obtained my Master of Social Work with a Clinical Concentration and a Certificate in Marriage & Family Therapy from the University of Georgia in the spring of 2017. Throughout my education and training, I envisioned establishing my own trauma-focused practice, a dream that fueled my development as a therapist and led to the creation of Whole Mind & Heart.

After graduation, I accepted a position at a local psychiatric hospital, where I completed intake assessments, biopsychosocial evaluations, conducted group therapy sessions, and responded to crisis situations. I then moved on to another center, serving as the Lead Mental Health Counselor for their Psychiatric Outpatient Program. Shortly after graduation, I obtained my Associate Licensure. My experiences in higher levels of psychiatric care taught me many things, but one constant stood out: the pervasive legacy of trauma.

With encouragement from a colleague, I trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to treat more complex cases with higher-risk clients. Additionally, I pursued training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a leading therapy for PTSD. Supported by my supervisor, who was trained in EMDR, I began my training in the fall of 2019 and completed it in the spring of 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic underscored the need for trauma-specific care.

The experience of being trained in EMDR, which includes working on oneโ€™s own issues to achieve resolution, was life-changing. As a therapist, I believe it is crucial to have experienced therapy myself, as it has significantly shaped my practice and approach. In the spring of 2021, I obtained my full licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and subsequently founded Whole Mind & Heart Psychotherapy LLC.

I continued my professional development and obtained EMDRIA certification in the summer of 2023. I am now working towards becoming a Consultant in Training. I have additional training and experience in womenโ€™s specific concerns, substance use disorders, religious and spiritual concerns, LGBTQIIA+ issues, and dissociative disorders. I utilize multiple modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Gottman Techniques, Internal Family Systems, Mindfulness-Based practices, somatic practices, DBT, and EMDR.

Each person is unique, with their own experiences that have shaped them. It is essential to validate our individuality and understand the impact of trauma on the body. Although trauma has helped us survive thus far, it can become overwhelming. My specialty is complex childhood trauma, and I follow a comprehensive intake process that may involve various assessments and questionnaires based on individual histories and needs. For some, discussing difficult experiences or recognizing dysfunction takes time. I am currently pursuing certification in Dissociation through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness (ICM) and will assess for forms of dissociation if applicable or suspected.

I take a stance that many of our concerns, including many physical ailments, come from deeply rooted traumas. With trauma being stored in the limbic systemโ€ฆ over time it just becomes too much.

I hope that you find this information helpful in your journey with searching for the right therapeutic fit for you and your needs.

Jon Kabat-Zinn said, โ€˜You canโ€™t stop the wave, but you can learn to surf.โ€™
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Nido Qub
Your present circumstances donโ€™t  determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.

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Implementing Therapeutic Methods
Dbt

DBT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal is to teach you how to cope with stress, manage your emotions, and live in the moment, which improves your relationships with others. DBT is an effective therapy for someone who struggles with emotional control or displays self-destructive behavior.
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Cbt Icon

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is a structured, short-term treatment using talk therapy. Your therapist helps you become aware of undesirable thinking so you can respond to situations in a more productive manner.
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Emdr

EMDR

An information processing therapy, EMDR helps clients deal with trauma, addictions, and phobias. During treatment, you focus on a specific thought, image, or emotion while watching an object move in front of your eyes. You practice recognizing what comes to mind when thinking of that image and then letting it go while doing bilateral stimulation.
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Implementing therapeutic strategies like these in our sessions,
I can provide guidance to help you overcome, cope, or manage the following concerns:

  • Dual Diagnosis
    Dual 
    Diagnosis
    Emotional Disturbance
    Emotional
     Disturbance
    Family Conflict
    Family
    Conflict
    Grief
    Grief
  • Addiction
    ADDICTION
    Anger Management
    ANGER
    MANAGEMENT
    Bipolar Disorder
    BIPOLAR
    DISORDER
    Codependency
    CODEPENDENCY
  • Coping Skills
    COPING
    SKILLS
    Divorce
    DIVORCE
    Domestic Abuse
    DOMESTIC
    ABUSE
    Domestic Violence
    DOMESTIC
    VIOLENCE
  • Infidelity
    INFIDELITY
    Life Transitions
    LIFE
    TRANSITIONS
    Merital & Premarital
    MERITAL &
    PREMARITAL
    Peer Relationships
    PEER
    RELATIONSHIPS
  • Relationship Issues
    RELATIONSHIP
    ISSUES
    Self Esteem
    self
    esteem
    Substance Use
    SUBSTANCE
    USE
    Suicidam Ideation
    SUICIDAL
    IDEATION
  • Womens Issues
    WOMENS
    ISSUES
    Dual Diagnosis
    Dual 
    Diagnosis
    Emotional Disturbance
    Emotional
     Disturbance
    Family Conflict
    Family
    Conflict
Healing After A Traumatic Event
If you are considering therapy and worried about the cost, remember this is a short-term investment aimed at improving your life, increasing your happiness, and creating stability to build your future.

Licenses and Association

Licenses and Association

  • NaswEmdriaGeorgia Society
  • NaswEmdriaGeorgia Society
  • NaswEmdriaGeorgia Society

Blogs

What Is Telemental Health

Online therapy is a subset of the telehealth array of services.  It essentially uses technology to provide mental health services from a distance. Therapists may use a combination of apps or web-based portals to text, video chat, voice message, and/or email their patients. Studies have proven teletherapy to be a viable, and sometimes more affordable, […]

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9 Patients Who Can Benefit from Teletherapy

Teletherapy can provide benefits for any type of patient seeking or needing mental health speciality care. Research has confirmed that teletherapy is safe, effective, and capable of increasing access to the mental health care specialty area; and is able to do so just as effectively as in-person face-to-face mental health specialty care. Any individual who […]

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Minds And Hearts Therapy
Providing therapy services for both Florida and Georgia communities
Contact
Office Hours: Tues โ€“ Thursday 9:00am โ€“ 6:00 pm,
Friday 9:00am - 2:00pm
Copyright 2024 Mind & Heart Therapy. All Right Reserved
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