Welcome to the Inner Compass blog, where you’ll find insights, resources, and support for navigating life transitions, religious trauma, and personal growth. Each post is designed to help you gain new perspectives and practical tools for your journey. Explore topics that matter to you and discover ways to align your life with your true values.
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Am I in a high-control religion?’ is one of the most common questions I hear in my Gilbert office — usually asked quietly, by someone who’s already spent months or years turning it over privately before saying it out loud. It comes up often here in the East Valley, where tight-knit, high-demand faith communities are […]
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Most of us learned about the body’s stress responses in one simple phrase: fight, flight, or freeze. But there’s a fourth response — one that rarely gets taught, even though it may be the most common one in people who grew up managing chaos, criticism, or unpredictability at home. It’s called fawning, and it doesn’t […]
Mellissa grew up in Southern California in a large family, heavily involved in high control conservative religion. She went on to attend college at Brigham Young University-Idaho where she studied sociology and family studies. She then spent 10 years as a stay at home parent. Life pivoted for Mellissa when she experienced a divorce and faith transition and began her own work in therapy.
She spent 5 years as an educator while obtaining her masters degree in professional counseling. She has spent the last 4 years specializing her practice to help others going through major unexpected life transitions, finding healing in the present moment and creating futures that align with their core values. Mellissa’s personal experiences, combined with her specialized expertise and focused study, create a uniquely supportive and effective clinical practice for individuals navigating major life transitions.
MELLISSA'S STORY
