Melissa Mose, LMFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist licensed by the State of California since 1995. Her academic qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology, as well as a Ph.D. Melissa has also completed advanced training in treating OCD through the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute at the International OCD Foundation, advanced level training in trauma and couples therapy as well as years of study of cognitive neuroscience under acclaimed child psychiatrist, Dan Siegel. Melissa has a private practice working with adults, adolescents and children and founded the Calabasas Counseling Center where she has trained interns in child, family and couples therapy. Working with adolescents and their families has been Melissa’s primary focus since she began her work as an intern in 1992. In her two decades of work as a licensed therapist in private practice, she has treated adults, adolescents and children with a wide variety of struggles including; anxiety and depression; relationship difficulties and communication skills; grief, loss, and trauma; ADHD, learning disabilities and other school difficulties including lack of motivation; defiant/disruptive behaviors; attachment and separation; parent-child conflict; divorce; crisis management, and other mental health and relational challenges as well as addiction. Group Therapy has been a staple in her private practice. Her ongoing teen group has been running for nearly 20 years and her “Mom’s of Teens” group has become a favorite. Melissa’s other experience includes: performing full psychological and psycho-educational assessments at the Step Group in Tarzana, using mind-body therapies to assists patients with stress and anxiety at the Huntington Reproductive Center in West Los Angeles, Encino and Westlake Village, and serving as the Director of Guidance at Chaminade College Preparatory High School. She was also a senior clinician at the OCD Center of Los Angeles and has developed a sub-specialty in treating Anxiety Disorders, specifically OCD and the OC Spectrum disorders. Her clinical work at the OCD Center of Los Angeles included Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for adults, adolescents, and children with a wide range of conditions, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hypochondria (health anxiety), Panic Disorder, Phobias, Trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), Dermatillomania (compulsive skin picking, or CSP). Specializing in treating OCD became a calling for Melissa when her daughter developed severe, acute OCD as a result of a strep infection. Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep (PANDAS) is a little known condition that has been the topic of much recent research. Melissa’s efforts to find appropriate and effective treatment for her daughter led her to participate in several intensive trainings through International OCD Foundation and the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute. She is dedicated to educating individuals, psychiatrists, and pediatricians about both PANDAS and PANS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) as well as providing therapy and consultation to families impacted by PANDAS/PANS. Melissa is a professional member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), the American Psychological Association (APA), The International Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF).
