About

Melissa Bustamante

"Therapy provides us the experience to learn valuable things about ourselves, the world and the people we share this world with."

Why I became a therapist

As a first-generation, Mexican woman, building and keeping connections has been a continuous theme in my life and I was thrilled when I learned that I could do this as a career! Since then it has been a privilege and honor to work with my clients and learn their stories. I strongly believe that my clients are the experts of their own lives. Sometimes we just need help identifying our strengths and how we want to move forward. I'm here to help!

Who I work with

I love diversity and working with people from all walks of life! I am passionate about working with children, adolescents and families. I find it incredibly rewarding working with parents to communicate and build stronger relationships with their kids as well as work with adolescents to navigate their relationships with their families. I also enjoy working with adolescents and young adults who are experiencing eating disorders and disordered eating, relationships issues and breakups, and interpersonal conflicts with parents. Working with couples, I seek to improve communication, close bonds and all types of intimacy.

"I strongly believe that my clients are the experts of their own lives. Sometimes we just need help identifying our strengths and how we want to move forward. I'm here to help!"

Working With Me

There are tears and scrunched up tissue at times, but there is probably more laughter in my room than you would think. I seek to provide a safe space for everyone to share any thoughts and feelings, but when appropriate or ready, I also aim to build a learning space. Therapy provides us the experience to learn valuable things about ourselves, the world and the people we share this world with - both close to us and more distant. Importantly, therapy also allows us to unlearn unhelpful habits and narratives that are holding us back. I believe it is important to embrace change and the journey it provides to learn or grow our strengths.

My Qualifications and trainings

  • I received my Bachelor of Science in Education & Social Policy, minor in Latino/a Studies at Northwestern University;
  • I completed my Masters in Social Work at University of Illinois in Chicago - Jane Addams College of Social Work (UIC);
  • I am certified in Evidence-Based Practice, concentration in Children and Adolescents through UIC Integrated Behavioral Health Care Training Program;
  • I am a Graduate Fellow from the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program. developed programming and interventions aimed to address social and mental health among Latinx Students in high school;
  • I am also certified and have experience in Integrative behavioral health, CBT, Motivational Interviewing and Play Therapy.

Ready to overcome the barriers holding you back?