I’m Melissa, An LMFT In CA

Professional headshot of Melissa Avina LMFT, therapist for women in California

My purpose is to help you heal your past, build self-trust, and feel empowered to create the life and relationships you desire.

With a warm, compassionate approach, we’ll explore what’s been holding you back and work to break free from old patterns. Together, we’ll strengthen your emotional tools and deepen your sense of worth, guiding you toward a more connected, confident, and fulfilling life.

Mother and daughter healing relationship through therapy with Melissa Avina LMFT in California.

I didn’t just study these experiences; I lived them.

Like many of the women I now support, I was stuck in cycles of people-pleasing, anxiety, and unresolved family wounds, always trying to be “enough.”

Before becoming a therapist, I spent years navigating many of the same struggles my clients face: constantly over-functioning, doubting my worth, and silencing my needs to meet everyone else’s expectations.

That lived experience gives me a deep understanding of what it’s like to be on the other side of the therapist’s screen.

Woman engaging in self-reflection during therapy session with Melissa Avina LMFT.

My own healing journey led me to therapy, and it changed everything.

Everything began to shift when I finally gave myself permission to pause, to stop running on autopilot and get honest about what I truly needed.

My healing journey in therapy showed me how powerful therapy can be when you’re finally given a safe, supportive space to explore the root causes of struggles that kept showing up and do the healing work that leads to lasting growth.

Therapy gave me the space to heal when my support system couldn’t hold me. Now, I offer that same space to other women, with warmth, compassion, and a deep understanding you may not find with someone who hasn’t lived it.

Why Women’s Healing Is So Personal to Me

I work with women because I’ve been where you are feeling overwhelmed and craving more than surface-level success.

I know what it’s like to seem like you have it all together, while feeling stuck, running on empty, and struggling to turn the life you want into reality. I also know the relief of finally having a space that’s just for you. That’s why I do this work. Supporting women through healing is more than what I do in my career; it’s why I do it.

You’re already strong and capable, but you deserve to feel that way inside, too. I’m here to support you as you begin creating a life that feels balanced and fulfilling.

Melissa Avina LMFT provides a warm, safe, and cozy therapy space for women across California. Therapy office with sofa, soft pillows, lamps, floral artwork, and books.

How Therapy Feels Working With Me

Therapy with me is warm, collaborative, and real. It’s a space where you can let go for just a moment and be fully seen, without judgment.

Together, we’ll explore what’s been holding you back and gently build new patterns that support the life you want. In big ways and small, therapy with me is about helping you feel more grounded, more empowered, and more connected to your true self, one session at a time.

Scroll down to explore the approaches I draw from in our work.

My Approach

Whether you're struggling with relationship challenges, burnout, or self-doubt, or working to heal deep-seated patterns like people-pleasing and attachment wounds, together, we’ll find the right approach to help you heal, set boundaries, and build the confidence you deserve.

Click below to explore some of the approaches I use and how each one can support your healing journey.

  • You deserve relationships that feel safe, supportive, and real
    and a sense of self-worth that doesn’t depend on others.

    Attachment-based therapy helps you understand how your past is shaping your present, especially in how you connect, cope, and care for yourself.

    This approach is especially helpful if you:

    • Struggle with self-doubt or low self-esteem

    • Feel anxious or avoidant in relationships

    • Carry pain from mother or father wounds

    • Repeat the same painful patterns with others

    Together, we’ll gently explore where those patterns come from and begin to rewrite them.

    Over time, you’ll learn to:

    • Build secure, healthy relationships

    • Feel more confident and emotionally grounded

    • Set boundaries without guilt

    • Trust yourself again

    You don’t have to stay stuck in old patterns. Healing and growth are possible, and it starts with understanding your story.

  • Stress and anxiety don’t just live in your mind; they live in your body, too.

    Somatic therapy helps you tune into your body’s signals, so you can release built-up stress and emotional pain in a safe and supported way.

    This approach is especially helpful if you:

    • Feel anxious or burned out

    • Struggle to set boundaries

    • Put others first at your own expense

    • Often feel stuck, tense, or disconnected from yourself

    Through gentle body awareness, breathwork, and mindful movement, you’ll learn to:

    • Regulate your nervous system

    • Feel calmer and more present

    • Safely process emotions

    • Reconnect with yourself

    Together, we’ll create space for your body and mind to heal, so you can feel more grounded, safe, and in control of your life.

  • You already carry the wisdom you need to heal. My role is to help you access it with care and support.

    Person-centered therapy offers a space where you feel fully seen, heard, and accepted, maybe for the first time.

    This approach is especially helpful if you:

    • Struggle with self-doubt or low self-worth

    • Tend to people-please or over-perform

    • Feel disconnected from your needs or voice

    • Question your value or worth in relationships

    There’s no pressure and instead of focusing on what you "should", we’ll explore your thoughts, emotions, and patterns with curiosity not judgment.

    Through this process, you’ll learn to:

    • Trust yourself and your inner voice

    • Set boundaries with more confidence

    • Release perfectionism and self-criticism

    • Create a life that feels real and aligned with who you are

    This is your space to reconnect with your worth and begin building the life you want, not the one others expect.

My Education and Training

  • Master’s Degree
    Master of Science in Marriage and Family Child Counseling
    California State University, Fresno

    Credential
    Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential – School Counseling
    California State University, Fresno

    Bachelor’s Degree
    Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Minor in Criminology
    California State University, Fresno

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California

    LMFT 153262

Three women in California engaged and smiling while reading therapy book.

Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?

Whether you're feeling unsure about starting therapy or you're ready to take that next step, you're in the right place.

If you have questions or are unsure if we’re a good fit, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Simply complete the form. I personally respond to all inquiries within 2 business days.

If you’re ready to begin your therapy journey, scroll down and click Schedule a Session to book your first appointment.

Schedule Your First Therapy Session

Schedule Your First Therapy Session

Woman scheduling a therapy appointment with Melissa Avina LMFTon her laptop

If my approach resonates with you, I’d be honored to support you on your healing journey. You don’t have to figure it all out alone; we’ll take it one step at a time, together.

You can schedule your first session directly by clicking the button below. I can’t wait to work with you.

Schedule your first therapy session today and start prioritizing you.