Melisa Atkeson, LCSW

Founder, Wise Mind Psychotherapy

Melisa is the founder of Wise Mind Psychotherapy. She works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. She treats people who have anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, parent-child issues, self-injury, disordered eating behaviors, and relationship difficulties. She has a special interest in people who struggle to regulate emotions. Melisa views therapy as an opportunity for people to learn, gain insight, and practice skills.

Melisa has been helping people solve problems for 30 years: first as a high school math teacher, next in tech sector sales and marketing, and for 15 years as a psychotherapist. Prior to private practice, she worked in foster and adoptive care teaching parenting classes and working with at-risk adolescents. She also worked at a local residential treatment center facilitating adolescent and multifamily therapy groups. She worked in a group practice before founding Wise Mind, where she has assembled an amazing team of therapists.

In addition to a Masters in Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, Melisa has degrees in Mathematics and Education from Auburn University. Melisa lives in northern Virginia with her family and a menagerie of animals.