Melanie

Melanie Shands

Licensed Clinical Social Workers

“My name is Melanie Shands, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I am a Registered Play Therapist and EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist.”

About Me

I’m Melanie Shands, and I aim for our sessions to be a grounded space where all parts of you are welcome. As a Registered Play Therapist, I help children voice big emotions through creative play, turning worry into understanding. For adults, my EMDRIA certification supports processing difficult memories, gently moving towards greater calm. We’ll work collaboratively to make sense of challenges, helping you build inner resources and find a way forward in daily life.

Approach

You’ll notice sessions move at a steady, compassionate pace, inviting curiosity and safety while we sort through what feels most urgent. I offer both in-person meetings in St. Louis and secure telehealth in English, and I aim to keep sessions practical so you leave with something usable. We work through feelings and memories using playful, paced exploration with children and guided processing and skills practice with teens and adults, including short between-session experiments to test new ways of coping. This approach often fits people seeking clearer emotion regulation and steadier days.
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Basic Information

In-person & Online

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Services

Services Offered:

  • Coaching

    A goal-oriented practice focused on identifying objectives, overcoming obstacles, and taking action, centred on the present and future rather than past difficulties.

  • Relationship Counseling

    Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.

  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

    A therapy combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive behavioural techniques, designed particularly to prevent relapse in depression.

    Learn more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Play Therapy

    A therapy for children that uses play as a natural form of communication, allowing them to express feelings and process difficult experiences.

    Learn more about Play Therapy
  • CBT

    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a structured, evidence-based approach that identifies and changes unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours.

    Learn more about CBT
  • EMDR

    Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, a therapy that uses guided eye movements to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories.

    Learn more about EMDR
  • Family Therapy

    A form of therapy that works with family members together to improve communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen relationships within the family system.

    Learn more about Family Therapy

Works With:

  • Adolescents
  • Adults
  • Children
  • Couples
  • Families
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Anger

    An intense emotional response to perceived threat, injustice, or frustration that, when persistent or uncontrolled, can damage relationships and well-being.

    Learn more about Anger
  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Autism (ASD)

    A neurodevelopmental condition affecting social communication, sensory processing, and behaviour patterns, with a wide range of presentations and strengths.

  • Behaviour or Conduct Issues

    Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.

  • Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • Child Behaviour

    Behavioural difficulties in children, such as tantrums, aggression, withdrawal, or defiance, that signal emotional distress or developmental needs.

  • Divorce Counseling

    Counselling for individuals or couples going through separation or divorce, addressing the emotional, practical, and relational dimensions.

Professional Title:

  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers

    A social worker licensed to provide clinical therapy, diagnosis, and treatment for mental health conditions.

Credentials

Registrations

-

Qualifications

University of Missouri

Service Areas

Private Practice

In-person & Online

St Louis, Missouri

United States

St Louis, United States