8198 Jog Rd #200, Boynton Beach, FL, 33472 | | (561) 810-6631

  • Melanie Kelly, MS, RMHCI

    Melanie Kelly, MS, RMHCI

    My name is Melanie Kelly. From the time I can remember, I have loved being around children and adolescents. Children have the unique ability to light up any room with their smiles, giggles, and innocence. With that being said, children also have the ability to create chaos and conflict in the family unit. Most likely, this chaos occurs when the child’s needs are not being met or if they have experienced an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). The most important feature of children is their resilience and motivation to please others. My hope is to create manageable chaos and to allow children to grow into the little people they are meant to be: full of life, hope, and happiness. My goal is to help your children and teens reach their full potential by increasing their self-esteem, introducing coping skills to deal with challenging life situations, and overall emotional regulation to assist them in stressful environments and changes that come throughout life. I use a combination of techniques to achieve these goals including, but not limited to: play therapy, art and music therapy, sand tray, and person-centered therapy. I hope to create a safe and fun environment for children and teens to be able to express themselves freely.

    What Led Me To Becoming A Therapist

     Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved comforting others and enjoyed helping in any way possible, whether it was giving someone my favorite crayon during art class, or giving a hug to a classmate to make them feel better. My mother always told me my ability to empathize with others is one of my biggest strengths. Like many other children unfortunately experience, I experienced hardships early on in my life that shaped my life forever. I was able to engage in therapy as a young girl and truly experience the beauty of therapy and the therapeutic relationship. Without the guidance and care of my first therapist, I would not be who I am today. With the help of therapy, I was able to understand my personal trauma and how it impacted my day to day life. I was able to understand that with help and buffering support systems in my life, I could get through almost anything. That is the hope and power I hope to give to the children and teens I work with today.

    What I Want For You During Our Sessions

     In our sessions, I hope to provide a safe and comforting environment for children and teens to express their feelings, hardships, celebrations, and most importantly…to be themselves! I value the importance of collaboration with my clients and their families. I believe in consistency inside and outside therapy, as well as making sure everyone is on the same page. On some days we can explore acting out conflicts as your most favorite Disney character, and on other days engaging in activities that may seem more like homework. In our sessions, I enjoy finding the balance between fun and work. One thing I always make sure my clients and families know when coming into therapy with me, is that therapy is all about progress—not perfection!

    My Education and Professional Background

     I began my journey to becoming a therapist when I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Development at Florida State University. From there, I received my Masters degree at Nova Southeastern University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I was able to start my career at a non-profit agency where I worked as a therapist in a Pediatric Integration program for children and teens who were dealing with mental health issues ranging from: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and various traumas. I was also able to work with clients who suffered from physical issues ranging from: cerebral palsy, eye sight issues, seizures, and more. During my time at this agency, I was able to understand the importance of play in therapy as well as the resilience children possess. I am currently providing psychotherapy services to children and their families at Reflections Creative Therapies Group where I am able to utilize various interventions to help children and teens.