Melissa Hinton, LCSW-C

As a licensed clinical social worker, I have dedicated my professional work to supporting and empowering individuals, including those who are neurodiverse, to meet their full potential at school, at home and in the larger world. The therapy space is one in which a client, regardless of age or challenge, should feel respected, understood and validated. Through this relationship, challenges can be explored non-judgmentally and solutions can be worked toward collaboratively. For young people, this means understanding why the adults in their life have brought them to therapy and finding their “why” so they are invested in the work and the outcome. I have worked for many years with young people and their caregivers in various settings, including schools, addressing a wide variety of challenges, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, gender issues, emotional regulation, relationship/social skills, coping strategies, and trauma. Utilizing a strengths-based approach and cognitive-behavioral therapeutic techniques, I help young people explore and become more aware of their inner worlds, including their emotions, triggers, thought patterns and current coping strategies (effective and ineffective) so that they can discover more personally beneficial ways to cope, remain calm when life is difficult and build and maintain healthy relationships with trusted adults and peers. Mindfulness strategies are woven into my work as they are a helpful tool in helping young people “see” themselves in a non-judgmental way and not attach to their fleeting thoughts and feelings. In addition to providing counseling services to clients for Starobin Counseling, I am currently a Mental Health Counselor and Social Worker at Ivymount School. I previously worked for Montgomery County Public Schools in the Social Emotional Special Education Services Program, and prior to that I was the Director of Mental Health for the Washington Latin Public Charter School. I provide therapy for older children, teens, young adults and adults. I find that regular appointments with parents/caregivers are also helpful and important for making progress.