Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Weidendorf.
Melissa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I became a therapist about ten years ago, and started out working at a community mental health clinic in a rural community. As a kid, I grew up in the foster care system, and it was important to me to be the kind of therapist that I needed when I was younger, so I have always showed up believing women and children, and allowing them space to explore their needs for connection in safe spaces. Through my journey as a therapist, this has evolved in many ways, often guided by my own experiences in life, and things I have learned along the way. I came to understand that the clinical part of my training, which included things like assigning a diagnosis in order to bill insurance, often was at odds with my own ethics, and sometimes caused harm for people. Because of this, I have been in a sort of primordial soup of exploration, offering alternative ways to work with clients, using movement practices (I am also a yoga teacher) and exploration of natural spaces as healing, as well as helping clients connect to their ancestral lineages as a way to understand their resilience and capacity for difficult things. I have also had opportunities to teach other therapists about the power that we wield with our licenses, and how to use that power to advocate for those in BIPOC and queer communities.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This has definitely not been a smooth road. Challenging the status quo tends to ruffle a lot of feathers, and I have found myself in front of my licensing board more than once, answering questions about the way I practice. I am grateful for the opportunities to provide education in the community about how the ways we are taught to practice are often rooted in colonialism and have the potential to cause harm for marginalized people. It’s also challenging to do my own inner work sometimes. Learning about myself and uncovering the ways that I show up and how to be better is a sometimes humbling experience, but well worth the price of admission, because it has allowed me to work more authentically. Ultimately, we heal in relationship with each other, so authenticity matters.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Speak Easy Counsel?
I am a therapist working in private practice, licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. I work with adults and specialize in treating people who have experienced trauma and I think I am known for working in less conventional ways. My practice is continuously evolving with me, as I grow, I see and understand the world differently and that means things are constantly in flux! I recognize that the way many of us were taught to practice has been through the lens of colonialism, and this has had a profound impact on how I practice. I am proud to be able to work with clients using the natural world as a space to explore the interconnection of all beings. Not everyone is interested in sitting in an office for an hour, talking about their feelings, so being in unconventional spaces with clients truly feels like a gift.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe in manifestation rather than luck, and recognizing the impact my internal monologue has on my external world has been pivotal. We are all villains in someone’s story, so I fully intend not be play that role in my own. What we give our attention to matters.
Pricing:
- In network with some insurances.
- $200/hour in office
- Varied prices for out of office sessions.
- Sliding scale offered.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.speakeasycounsel.com
- Instagram: Speak_Easy_Counsel_Duluth
- Facebook: Speak Easy Counsel
- Other: @mellymel111 (Substack)
