Melissa Gutierrez (she/they)

APCC #11364
Accepting Clients

I'm a therapist if you want to talk, and an art therapist if you wanna make stuff. And don't worry, we can do both.

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor in California
Supervised by Israel Perla, MFT43965

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples
  • Family
  • Adolescent/Teen
  • Group

About My Clients

I can't be put in a box and I don't believe my clients can be either. My goal is to help clients find the way to be most themselves in the world. All thoughts, feelings, histories, and hardships are welcome here. I love working with people who feel overwhelming to themselves and to others. You are not too much and I am here to help you believe that. You are just enough and I am here to help you figure out how to live that out in your work and relationships.

My Background and Approach

I work by figuring out what you're good at and what works for you and then going from there to solve problems you're super over dealing with so you can get more of what you actually want in life. If you don't know what you want, that's cool too, we'll figure it out. We find your growing edge, then take a step back and build your window of tolerance to make your mind and body super strong. This way your soul can thrive. It sounds cheesy but it works. In therapist-land this is called a strengths-based, solutions-focused, stages of change-aligned approach. I layer on somatic work to help you regulate your nervous system and identity work to help you make sure you know the real you. Everything I do is steeped in a trauma-informed, feminist lens and colored by a tinge of existentialism. It's important to me you feel like you are capable and being taken seriously while being encouraged and feeling seen.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I value curiosity, openness, and courage. I believe a lot of things. I believe you can always change your mind. I believe in myself, and I believe in you! I'm pro-people and anti-virtue signaling. But odds are I probably support your virtue. Random facts about me: I'm a California native, East Bay born and bred but have done my time in LA, San Francisco, and Sacramento. I have twin brothers. I'm divorced. I used to work in social media marketing writing Instagram posts for wine and beef jerky. I have a masters in creative writing. I'm constantly reading fiction and nonfiction. I went to Bible college. My favorite animals are the ocean sunfish and beavers. I have a bunch of tattoos. My favorite color is every color (that's not cheating). At Taco Bell I get a Cheesy Gordita Crunch with Diet Baja Blast. My favorite TV show is Community. My dog's name is Stevie, partly after Stevie in Schitt's Creek and partly after Stevie Nicks. In soccer I play defensive mid.

I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Atheism
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
  • Interfaith
  • Multifaith

At A Glance

  • Experience: 7 years of practice
  • Languages: English, EspaƱol
  • Rate: $120 - 200/session

Reach out to Melissa