Melanie K. Lindell
Counseling PLLC
Training and Degrees:
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Washington (License Number LH60528990). I received my Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Developmental Psychology from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA. While studying for my Master's of Arts in Counseling Psychology, I trained as a sexual assault victim advocate providing first responder care in hospital emergency rooms to adult sexual assault, child sexual assault, and child abuse victims. In my final year of graduate school I moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand for my internship providing counseling for expatriates living all over the world. I have worked with individuals, couples, children and adolescents, and teams. I received my Master's of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology in 2013. I also continuined my training in the areas of trauma and abuse, working as a part of the training team for The Allender Center founded by Dr. Dan B. Allender where I facilitated workshops, recovery weeks for survivors of past sexual abuse and story groups from 2013-2022. My professional training and experience encompass a broad spectrum of issues including emotional problems, spirituality, sexual abuse recovery, trauma recovery, grief, relationship problems, and cross-cultural issues.
Counseling Orientation
It is my deepest belief that we were all created for relationship, that we want to be known and loved and have the ability to freely know and love others. As a therapist, I consider it a profound privilege to walk with you into the sacred places of your life. My theoretical orientation is primarily rooted in psychodynamic theory, which in short means we look at early life experiences with the purpose of increasing awareness of how those past traumas are impacting current life quality with ourselves and others. I also borrow from other therapeutic modalities such as attachment theory, narrative, existential and family systems. The experiences we have had and the relationships we have known are intricately tied to who we have become. Our work will include examining connections between the physical, emotional, relational and spiritual aspects of life. A strong therapeutic alliance provides the context to co-create a new experience of being seen and heard and invited to examine the stuck places through honest and caring engagement. This process generally involves exploring past and current thoughts, actions, feelings and relationships including the therapeutic relationship. If deemed appropriate, a medical consultation may also be recommended.
Professional TESTIMONIALS
Melanie is a highly skilled and experienced licensed therapist who has demonstrated warmth, genuineness and care to personnel of AGWM. Melanie has our appreciation and respect for her professionalism and care, as well as her collaboration with AGWM.
Dr. Rick Johnson, Director
Personnel and Member Care
Assemblies of God World Mission
Melanie is an excellent clinician. She listens well. Her outstanding gift is her capacity to contain and understand trauma and its sequelae. She understands the process of healing that takes time and careful attention. She will give you that experience.
Doug Hansen, MSW, ACSW, LICSW, BCD
Relational Psychoanalyst
When I consider a referral I always think in terms of someone I deeply love and then ask: who would I want to send them to see as a therapist? There are many good therapists but few that I would send someone I love. Melanie Lindell is a therapist that holds my deepest respect and trust. She is kind, wise, and knows what it is to walk in the valley of the shadow of death and taste the goodness of God. I have worked with her for years in our sexual abuse recovery weeks and she is one of our training staff for the Allender Center Certificate program. Melanie is a woman who works well with a vast host of issues and people, but what I trust most about her is she knows how to invite the heart to truth with the kindness of God. She is a resource well worth engaging your life.
Dan B. Allender Ph.D.
Professor of Counseling Psychology
Founding President
The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Client Testimonials:
I've been with Melanie for over two years; during that time, I have been supported, challenged, encouraged and stretched in all the ways I have loved and hated. Melanie listens intently and then provides genuine, straightforward connections. After each session, I walk away with a focus on what to appreciate and what to emphasize within my own journey. I am honored and deeply appreciative of Melanie's contribution to my mind, heart and life.
--- K
Jesus used Melanie to save my life. Having spent decades in dutiful (duty-FULL) ministry, fueled primarily by a warped view of God, my heart was dead. I may never forget the day she nodded her head and spoke a simple “uh-huh” of understanding after I cautiously voiced a deeply personal struggle. In her calm, grace-filled acceptance of my humanity I saw Jesus; my healing began. Her piercing insights into how I relate to God, myself, and others have set me on a path to real life.
--- S
Henry Cloud, in his book, The Power of the Other, discusses the importance of what he calls “Corner Four Relationships” - life-giving relationships that make growth and forward movement not only possible, but inevitable. A corner four person is trustworthy, supportive, honest, and stable. I have known Melanie as the facilitator of the lay counseling group I was a part of and also informally as a mentor and friend over a period of three years and in those roles, she has been a Corner Four relationship for me. As I have shared very vulnerable parts of my story, she has listened deeply and attended well to my heart and guided me to care for my body so that I experience kindness within memories of neglect and cruelty. She has recognized gifting within me that I had split away from my consciousness and has nurtured and believed in that gifting until I began to recognize it as my own. Her communication is both honest and caring. She does not shy away from asking me to face hard things and then provides the support and presence to sustain me as I step out into unknown terrain. I would not be where I am in my journey without Melanie’s involvement.
--- J