Melissa is a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered practitioner psychologist originally from Nassau, Bahamas. Melissa completed her doctoral training at University College London (UCL) and qualified as a clinical psychologist in 2019. During training she undertook placements in both adult and child mental health, and across contexts of acute to enduring mental health conditions, physical health, and brain injury. Melissa’s doctoral research was part of a randomised control trial implementing the Open Dialogue Approach to mental health crisis care within NHS systems.

Melissa studied in Canada before moving to the United Kingdom and was conferred an Honours BSc degree in Psychology and Biological Anthropology by the University of Toronto. Following this, she completed her MSc at the University of York in Developmental Disorders and Clinical Practice. This included both teaching and training in specific learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. For her MSc thesis, Melissa researched the use of joint, or shared attention, in children with autism spectrum disorder.

The majority of Melissa’s clinical work has been within NHS services providing treatment for adolescents and young adults with eating disorders. She has experience providing therapy on an individual basis and as a whole family approach to support a young person in their recovery. Melissa is trained in both the NICE recommended approaches for young people with eating disorders – FBT and CBT-E and she works fluently and flexibly within the two models. Melissa is passionate about supporting individuals struggling with disordered eating and working with them to break down the impact of societal ideals and pressures.

Alongside her work at Altum Health, Melissa works in the Feeding and Eating Disorders service at Great Ormond Street Hospital where she supports children and families.

Melissa’s therapeutic approach is integrative in nature. She practices CBT as well as third wave approaches – primarily compassion focussed therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. Melissa has a strong systemic background and frequently uses narrative approaches in her work. She believes in the role of the family and system in introducing difference and promoting therapeutic change. Fostering self-compassion is central to her way of working.

Melissa has been working with Altum Health since 2020.