Our Team
Melissa Kopel, MSW, LSW
Psychotherapist
The most important thing to me as a person and clinician is that people feel safe in my presence. I pride myself on learning about every person’s unique perspective, even when that person at first feels alone in their experience. To be human means both to suffer and to feel joy. I hope to honor your experience in both, and in everything that comes between.
I began my education at Ursinus College, where I studied both Dance and Media/Communications. After working in the arts and in social work-related fields, I pursued a Masters of Social Work from Rutgers University and thereafter became a Licensed Social Worker.
During my time at Rutgers, I interned with Jewish Family Service in Somerset, New Jersey, where I worked with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults facing issues such as OCD, anxiety, depression, and transitional issues. My approach is grounded in the person-in-environment perspective, where I acknowledge that our individual experiences are impacted by our relationships, our communities, and society at large. I emphatically honor the complexities of our lived experiences by embracing differences in each client’s race, cultural background, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability status, and age, and by acknowledging ways in which marginalization and oppression through membership of different groups impact mental and physical health.
While my approach to therapy is eclectic and is catered to the individual needs of the client, I incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Techniques, Motivational Interviewing, and I draw from Psychodynamic Theory and Attachment Theory.
When I’m not working, I enjoy salsa dancing, trying new foods, and spending time with my family, friends, and goldendoodle.