I know what it's like to love your kids so much it physically hurts and also feel completely swallowed by the weight of it.
I know what it's like to solo parent most of the week, run out of patience before dinner, and feel guilty about both of those things at the same time. I'm not saying that to perform relatability. I'm saying it because when you sit across from me, you won't have to explain yourself from scratch.
I became a therapist because I wanted to actually help people.
I became a mom, and then I really understood what that meant.
After years of working in clinic settings with clients that weren't always the right fit, in a structure that wasn't built for my life, I opened my own practice.
I wanted more flexibility. More autonomy. And, let's be real, more regular sleep.
My youngest was one year old when I opened Melissa Treff Psychology. My husband travels for work most weekdays. I was figuring it out in real time, just like the moms I was already seeing in session. That's still true today.
What I bring to the work
I'm a licensed psychologist with a Psy-D and 10-plus years of post-licensure clinical experience.
I'm also a Perinatal Mental Health Certified provider (PMH-C), one of fewer than 1,600 psychologists in the country to hold that credential.
That means I've done the extra training. I understand the clinical landscape of pregnancy, postpartum, and the identity shifts that come with becoming a parent.
I use ACT, IFS, and CBT. Not because they're popular, but because they work. I'm not afraid to gently push you toward the deeper relational stuff, especially when surface-level coping isn't cutting it anymore.
I'm also a PsyPact member, which means I can see clients via telehealth in 40-plus states. If you're not in the Twin Cities, we can still work together.
What to expect when you work with me
Therapy with me is individualized. That means I'm not running you through a protocol.
We'll work on what you actually need. Sometimes that's the anxiety keeping you up at night. Sometimes it's the identity shift no one warned you about. Sometimes it's patterns from your own childhood that are quietly showing up in how you parent.
I won't pretend that's always comfortable. But I'll be in it with you.
What clients tell me they appreciate most: they feel safe, they feel seen, and they don't have to perform okayness just to get through the session.
A little outside the office
I have two dogs, two kids, and a cut flower garden I look forward to every spring.
I love to travel and hate flying, which means every vacation involves a very long drive or a lot of deep breathing.
I enjoy hiking and nature walks. There's something about being outside that does what a lot of sessions try to do. It just works.
"Melissa is a perfect combination of being warm, relational, and scientifically grounded in her approach to perinatal mental health. She understands the pressure put on women and moms to be perfect and selfless. She knows how to support women in challenging these expectations and learning how to also take care of ourselves. She’s an incredible person and therapist, especially for neurodivergent moms looking for therapy."
- Jenna Brownfield
