Owner/Executive Director, Dr. Melissa Springstead graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Psychology and worked in an elementary school as a teacher assistant. After a few years of teaching and tutoring she went back to USC and received her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy. Upon completing her masters program she worked for Partnerships to Uplift Communities Charter Schools (PUC) as a clinical coordinator and then clinical supervisor providing mental health services for students and their families as well as supporting school personnel with student concerns.  While working for PUC, Melissa also began to work in private practice with clients and their families to address psychological and educational difficulties.  After working in the field Melissa decided to go back to school and get more training while obtaining her doctorate in psychology. Melissa is currently seeing clients in her private practice as well as supervising interns. 

Education

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, CA
Major: Psy.D Marriage and Family Therapy
Psy.D, Winter 2016
Dissertation: ANCHORED: A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Rossier School of Education
Major: Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy
Masters, May 2006

California State University, Los Angeles, CA
Charter School of Education
Major: Masters in Special Education, Mild / Moderate Credential with a
Resource Certificate - Completion of Six courses, Summer & Fall 2002

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
School of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Major: Social Sciences with an emphasis in Psychology
Bachelor of Arts, Fall 2001

Professional Affiliations and Memberships

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist (CAMFT)
San Gabriel Valley CAMFT Executive Board Member 2014 - present
Young and Healthy Executive Board Member
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
University of Southern California Alumni Association
Delta Gamma Alumni Association

Professional Certification
Winter 2017 Trauma Informed Excellence, Coldspring Center for Social and Health Innovation 
Spring 2010 Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Certified Instructor, Crisis Prevention Institute

Presentations Given

“Do You Feel Overwhelmed?” - Various Schools and Non-profit Organizations in Southern California
• Discussion on time management and how to allow for a balanced life
• Participants left with specific strategies to help maximize study time as well as having time for extracurricular activities.

“Benefits of a Clinical Counseling Training Program in a Charter School Setting”  - California Charter Schools Association Conference in Sacramento, California (March 2008)
• Overview of a counseling program in a charter school setting (PUC Schools Clinical Counseling Program, Los Angeles, CA)
• Benefits of having a training program in the schools
• Participants were given the tools on how to develop a counseling training program in their own schools

Honors

California Distinguished School Award, 2009 - Highlighting the Clinical Counseling Program at CALS Early College High School
University of Southern California, Rossier School of Education, Student Commencement Speaker, 2006
Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society, 2006