Melissa Milanovic

About

Melissa believes that central to psychotherapy is a therapeutic relationship that is rooted in acceptance and trust, and is welcoming of self-expression. Within sessions, she provides a space that is warm as well as encourages each individual’s connection with their own internal wisdom; she additionally offers tools to further promote healing. Practicing from a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and inclusive framework, she works with adults of all identities to assist with problems affecting mental health including depression, trauma, management of difficult emotions, anxiety, and self-criticism.

Melissa’s approach is integrative, drawing from evidence-based therapies with the aim of adapting therapy to meet each person’s individual needs and goals. Her primary models are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). She additionally draws from Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) techniques to deepen understanding and processing of difficult experiences. Melissa is also trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

She is the coordinator of the Remedy Practicum Program, which offers training opportunities to doctoral Clinical Psychology graduate students participating in the GTA Clinical Practicum Match.

Melissa is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, and earned her doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology from Queen’s University. She also works part-time as a psychologist in the Complex Care and Recovery program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Tkaronto/Toronto.

She has trained and worked in a variety of hospital, community, and academic settings, including: Mood Disorders Service at Providence Care Hospital, Adult Mental Health Services and Heads Up Early Psychosis Intervention Program at Hotel Dieu Hospital, Maple Family Health Team, Queen’s Psychology Clinic, and the Regional Assessment Resource Centre at Queen’s University. Melissa completed her Predoctoral Residency at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in three separate programs where she provided assessment and intervention services for adults experiencing difficulties with mood, anxiety, trauma, and emotion regulation.

Her research, focused on the impacts of complex mental health conditions on cognition and functioning, as well as associated interventions, has been published in peer-reviewed journals. Melissa also has experience supervising and teaching student therapists.

Residency – St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario
Ph.D. – Clinical Psychology, Queen’s University