Melissa Briggs is a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist (BC-DMT) and Associate
Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). She is a member of the American Dance Therapy
Association. Melissa holds a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance with a Ballet emphasis
from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she graduated May 2020, summa cum laude.
Melissa received her M.A. from Lesley University in May 2022, in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling with a specialization in Dance/Movement Therapy. Melissa is currently studying for
her CA state licensure exam. Melissa previously worked with adolescents and individuals with
special needs in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, in the areas of trauma,
anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, most of which included dual diagnoses.

Melissa is devoted to using Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) in conjunction with other
expressive and integrative therapies, to promote healing and positive self-transformation to
overcome and manage trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and other challenges. DMT
is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote the emotional, social, cognitive, and
physical integration of each individual, for the purpose of improving health, self-esteem,
body-image, and well-being. Melissa’s theoretical framework is based upon Chacian DMT, and
she uses the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to support, observe, assess, and offer treatment
with appropriate interventions in her DMT practice. Melissa also uses Carl Rogers’
Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) theories, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Internal Family
Systems Therapy (IFS), Grief Therapy, along with psychological approaches including
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT), and incorporates Mindfulness, Psychoanalytic Theory, Adlerian
Psychology, Humanistic Psychology, Jungian Psychotherapy, and Relational Therapy techniques
in her multi-dimensional approach to treatment. Melissa believes that building a therapeutic
relationship tailored to meet the needs of the moment is a key factor for enhancing insight and
growth in every individual.

In addition to her therapeutic work, Melissa dances with The Realm Company, a contemporary
ballet company based in Santa Monica, CA. Melissa also holds a Ballet Teaching Certification
from The Royal Academy of Dance in London and has been a dancer from a young age as well
as a dance teacher. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys dance, yoga, hiking, drinking matcha tea,
and spending time with family and friends.