Melissa Hunter, Ph.D., LMFT
Sometimes we can get thrown into changes we weren’t ready for: a personal or family member with a medical diagnosis, an unexpected death of a loved one, struggles with infertility, a global pandemic or relationship challenges. Maybe the change is welcomed: a recent engagement or marriage, the birth of a child, graduation, or a child moving on to college. Regardless of whether these changes are expected or unexpected, wanted or unwanted, she is confident that changes can be embraced in the midst of our joy or grief. The heart of her therapeutic approach is the belief that we can become our own resources when we learn new ways to approach our issues or the situation. She believes individuals, couples, and families have the ability to change—sometimes we just need some assistance to do so. With almost 20 years of experience working with couples, individuals, and families, she has helped many clients obtain the tools necessary to improve their lives. Some of those areas include: grief/loss, spirituality, premarital/marital, parenting, discernment counseling, infidelity, coping skills, infertility issues, depression, and stress/anxiety.
Dr. Melissa Hunter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with Stanford Couples Counseling in Texas. She graduated from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor with a Bachelor’s degree in Religion, received a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Truett Seminary at Baylor University, and has a Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. She brings a history of experience working in the church where she did pastoral counseling, premarital counseling, and led parenting and couple’s classes as well as retreats. If applicable, she utilizes her clients’ faith and spirituality, whatever they may be, as useful tools to aid in the change process. She has worked with all ages ranging from preschool to senior adults. She also specializes in discernment counseling, a process for helping couples make a more informed decision about whether they want to work on the relationship or end the relationship. In addition, her background as a hospice chaplain has familiarized her with the challenges that come with bereavement, grief, and loss in a variety of different family situations. She is also a certified facilitator of Prepare/Enrich, the most widely used and validated premarital assessment and training program.
In her free time, Melissa loves to read, find a good walking trail, and get mindlessly lost in a Hallmark movie. She loves playing and spending time with her family. For almost ten years, she and her husband get ice cream every Friday afternoon. They began including the best delightful third wheel 6 years ago to their tradition, Anna.