Melissa Coulson, MA (formally Lopez)

Experience

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  BMod Fitness

  Feb 2006 - Aug 2010

  Coach

  • Working with children with special needs and providing behavioral and fitness coaching in a gymnastics facility.• Teaching children how to learn with play, improving social and verbal skills through ABA techniques.• Offering every family that has a member in need of specialized coaching an opportunity to participate and learn socially acceptable behaviors while becoming more fit and gaining more control of their own body.

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  McRory Pediatric Services

  Aug 2008 - Aug 2010

  Behavior Therapist

  • Behavioral Therapist assisting children with special needs in an elementary special education classroom.• Utilizing aspects of Applied Behavior Analysis and Floor-time therapy techniques.• Working with Individualized Education Plans, assisting the student with reaching his/her goals.

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  Eckerd (Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc)

  Aug 2010 - Jun 2011

  Outdoor Wilderness Counselor

  • Working and living with a group of 8-12 at-risk adolescent males.• Two counselors lead the group through daily activities, combining recreational, therapeutic, and educational activities.• Co-counselors ensure the group is safe, productive, and help each child develop effective problem solving, communication, and other critical skills and life strategies.

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  Devereux

  Jul 2011 - Feb 2012

  Residential Support Staff

  • Working a residential facility with adolescent females, assisting, supporting, and instructing individuals in self-help skills designed to encourage independence.• Responsible for providing care and motivation to clients along with maintaining a safe and enjoyable environment.• Implementing programs designed to meet the social, emotional, physical and personal needs of clients.

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  People Acting to Help, Inc. (Path, Inc.)

  Feb 2012 - Dec 2013

  Blended Case Manager

  • Provided case management services to a caseload of 25 children and families in Philadelphia.• Received training on becoming trauma informed and resiliency in children.• Provided 24-hour crisis management with a rotating on-call schedule. • Linked families to community resources, such as housing, insurance, health, mental health facilities, and appropriate school placements. • Advocated for children within the school systems and linked them to appropriate school placements when applicable. • Assisted families with completing admissions and intakes into a variety of mental health agencies. • Worked together with other child-serving systems in Philadelphia to ensure best possible care for clients. Show less

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  Silver Springs Martin Luther School

  Feb 2014 - May 2016

  Therapeutic Staff Support

  • Worked with clients with special needs, supporting them in their classrooms.• Helping the children reach the goals indicated on their treatment plans and working together with the Behavior Specialist Consultant to achieve this.• Trained in trauma informed practice and recovery, working with LGBTQI individuals, crisis situations, and therapeutic crisis interventions. • Providing support and interventions when the client becomes off task and noncompliant as well as escalated inside and outside the classroom.• Working as part of a treatment team and collaborating on a weekly basis, discussing how the client has been doing in all settings. Show less

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  Devereux

  Aug 2014 - Dec 2014

  Practicum Student

  • Gained knowledge about the foster care system in Philadelphia.• Received supervision from the Director of Foster Care. • Attended parent support groups and observed the instructor and families.• Interacted with and supported foster parents of children under the CUA system • Attended a Workforce meeting that discussed ways to improve the foster care system within Philadelphia and what areas need to change to promote positive outcomes.• Gained knowledge of the training and education that potential foster parents receive prior to becoming certified. Show less

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  Child & Family Art Therapy Center

  Jun 2015 - Aug 2015

  Camp Pegasus Head Counselor

  • Worked as a team with two other counselors to direct and supervise groups of children ages 6-9 through daily activities.• Provided social coaching and help with problem solving as needed and utilized the Camp Pegasus behavior reward system.• Provided brief descriptions of campers’ strengths and needs for camper reports at the end of each session.• Consulted with Clinical Director and Therapy Specialists to help maintain effective support for campers' social, emotional and behavioral needs. Show less

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  Children's Crisis Treatment Center

  Sept 2015 - May 2016

  Intern in the Therapeutic Nursery

  • Working with 4-5 year olds as a clinician under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Professional.• Working alongside two BHWs in a classroom with children with various mental health disorders, including ADHD, PTSD, and ODD.• Facilitating group and individual therapy sessions with children and families. • Updating treatment plans every month as well as every six months and speaking with families on a weekly basis. • Learning about Filial Therapy and Trauma Systems Therapy and utilizing it in the classroom as well as individual therapy sessions. Show less

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  The Center for Autism

  Jun 2016 - Oct 2017

  Mental Health Professional

  • Utilized aspects of Floortime therapy techniques and attachment theory when interacting with clients. • Planned and lead group activities for a variety of clients with Autism that have different developmental levels and clinical needs.• Developed an understanding of clients’ communicative intent and appropriately respond based on the goal of the communication. • Received training on crisis management and de-escalation techniques, as well as personal emergency intervention techniques when the client becomes unsafe to themselves or others. • Worked as part of a team to continuously assess the effectiveness of treatment interventions provided.• Attended bi-weekly supervision with Assistant Director of First Friends to discuss concerns as well successes. • Attended weekly team meetings to discuss the progress of clients and determine which goals would be appropriate and necessary for the clients to work on and improve. • Completed data on a daily basis as well as other relevant documentation as related to the clients. Show less

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  Child Guidance Resource Centers

  Jun 2016 - Oct 2016

  Outpatient Therapist

  • Provided individual and family therapy to a variety of different clients, ranging in ages 6-17, with varying diagnoses, including ADHD, ASD, MDD, and OCD.• Completed DAP notes after each session and updated treatment plans every 3 months • Maintained a caseload of 11 clients and met with them on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.• Completed referrals to transfer clients to different levels of need depending on the situation.• Communicated with psychiatrist at CGRC regarding any concerns or changes within the family to keep them informed. • Met monthly with supervisor to discuss caseload. Show less

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  Children's Crisis Treatment Center

  Oct 2017 - Sept 2019

  Bilingual Trauma Clinician

  • Performing intake evaluations in English and Spanish with child victims of trauma and following through with implementing recommendations and/or referrals.• Providing individual and family therapy in English and Spanish to child victims of trauma and their caregivers, as well as providing case management services to clients on an as needed basis.• Completing all required paperwork accurately, neatly, and in a timely fashion, such as progress notes, treatment plans, and consent forms.• Providing community-based interventions for our ongoing clients, including but not limited to, accompanying a child and his/her family to court proceedings related to the trauma and going to child’s school to assist his/her teachers in understanding and managing a child’s trauma-related symptoms. • Providing case management services on an as-needed basis.• Completing discharge plans for child clients in collaboration with parents/caregivers and assist with the implementation when appropriate. • Attending weekly individual supervision with Trauma Services Director, as well as weekly Trauma Services departmental meetings.• Participating in mandatory CCTC staff trainings and interdepartmental meetings. Show less

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  Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

  Sept 2019 - Mar 2020

  Inpatient Hospital Clinician

  •Providing and/or coordinating the delivery of non-medical therapeutic services to patients in an acute care setting utilizing assessments, and individual, group and family therapy. •Providing case management services in the form of funding verification and continuation. •Coordinating discharge planning and assigned liaison activities between families, agencies, and the treatment team to insure the highest standard of participation and the best practice of service delivery. •Conducting strengths-based bio-psychosocial and need oriented assessment of current family/guardian system.•Developing appropriate strategies including use of community resources for intervention and safety planning upon discharge of the patient.•Completing Utilization Reviews Show less

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  The Center for Autism

  Mar 2020 - Mar 2021

  Intake/Outpatient Therapist
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  Children's Crisis Treatment Center

  Mar 2021 - Sept 2024

  Bilingual Trauma Clinician

  • Performing intake evaluations in English and Spanish with child victims of trauma and following through with implementing recommendations and/or referrals.• Providing individual and family therapy in English and Spanish to child victims of trauma and their caregivers, as well as providing case management services to clients on an as needed basis.• Received training on Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). • Completing all required paperwork accurately, neatly, and in a timely fashion, such as progress notes, treatment plans, and consent forms.• Providing community-based interventions for our ongoing clients, including but not limited to, accompanying a child and his/her family to court proceedings related to the trauma and going to child’s school to assist his/her teachers in understanding and managing a child’s trauma-related symptoms. • Providing case management services on an as-needed basis.• Completing discharge plans for child clients in collaboration with parents/caregivers and assist with the implementation when appropriate. • Attending weekly individual supervision with Trauma Services Director, as well as weekly Trauma Services departmental meetings.• Participating in mandatory CCTC staff trainings and interdepartmental meetings. Show less

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  The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth

  Oct 2024 - now

  In-School Counselor