Melanie Labardini

Honors:

2021 Sam Houston State University’s “Play Therapist of the Year” and member of Chi Sigma Iota

Approach:

I believe that each of us has the ability, within ourselves, to find the healing that we seek, but messages received from emotional wounds in our past block us from attaining it. My goal is to help each of my clients view these wounds from a different perspective, and then find new resources and messages to resolve the struggles within their lives. I use a variety of approaches, including Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, CBT, DBT, EMDR, Brainspotting and Sandtray to facilitate this process.

As a Child Centered Play Therapist, I believe that children also have an innate ability to heal themselves, given the right environment. My playroom is a space in which they can explore being in control and making (nearly) all the decisions about what happens. Parents of children I have worked with have reported a reduction in negative behaviors and feelings (such as anxiety), as well as an increase self-esteem, empathy for others, and ability to verbalize their thoughts and feelings.

Professional Background:

I have been forever fascinated by the way our minds work, and how the things that we think and do can change the trajectory of our relationships and lives. I received my bachelor’s in psychology from UT Austin in 1991 and then proceeded to raise my children. After being touched by trauma in my personal life and witnessing it through my missions work, I developed a passion for learning more about it and how to treat it. This passion led to me receiving my master’s in clinical mental health counseling. I served my internship at the Montgomery County Women’s Center, where I worked with survivors of a variety of traumas, from deaths in the family, sexual assault, childhood abuse, and domestic violence.

Interests:

I have spent most of my life raising my children and being very active in my six amazing grandchildren’s lives as well. I have also been an active member of my church, serving in a variety of roles over the years. I have a love for all forms of sewing: quilting, embroidery, costuming, and anything else you can imagine. I have always been a passionate learner.