Owner, Clinical Supervisor
“Once you start making the effort to “wake yourself up” – that is be more mindful of your daily activities – you suddenly start appreciating your life more.”
–Robert Biswas-Diener
I’m not your typical therapist. I’m real. I’m approachable. While being kind and empathetic, I will still call you on your crap. I don’t think therapy should be some stale, clinical, sterile experience. That sounds awful. I may have gone through lengthy and specific education/training to be in the role I’m in, but that doesn’t make me any better than you or the “expert” of your life. You’re the expert of your life… I am just trained and skilled at using naturally flowing conversation to elicit the change you’re seeking. Judgment has no place in therapy. Period. I am honored you choose to trust me, so no way am I going to tarnish that and ruin the therapeutic relationship with judging you. Finally, if you put in the time, the effort, and the work during the therapy process, you will absolutely be transformed. I’m willing to invest in you… are you ready to invest in yourself?
Dr. Melissa Tihin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has a passion for working with perinatal women and their families. Melissa founded Central Valley Family Therapy in 2017 after two years in private practice.
As a doctoral student and certified infant mental health specialist, Melissa worked with several mothers and their families where she began to uncover the desire to specialize in this population. She conducted her dissertation and published her study, The Narratives of Career Driven Women and Their Experiences of Motherhood in 2017. After the birth of her daughter, and her own experience with postpartum anxiety, she knew she needed to do more to support moms at every stage of their motherhood journey.
A native Californian, Melissa graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of California, San Diego, in 2003. She went on to complete her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2012, followed by her Doctorate (Psy.D.) in Couples and Family Therapy, in May 2017 from The California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University.
Melissa is dedicated to bringing competent, compassionate care to women and mothers while breaking the stigma and advocating for maternal mental health. Melissa has additional training in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) which is an evidenced based therapy that have proven helpful with perinatal clients and their families.
Melissa’s focus is on prenatal, postpartum and parenting issues and has a particular interest working with women and couples experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety, birth trauma and attachment difficulties after the birth of a child. As a wife and mother, she brings a compassionate perspective to the dilemmas of contemporary motherhood.
In addition to her clinical work, she also supervises MFT- Associates at the practice, and is passionate about educating and training clinicians. Her training approach includes providing associates with an experience that encompasses case consultation and reflective practice to address experiences of countertransference. She teaches and guides clinicians through the theoretical lenses of attachment theory, narrative family therapy, shame and resilience training, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Certifications and Specialized Training
- 2020- Hold Me Tight/ Let Me Go Program for Families Facilitators Training- Aikin and Associates at the Greater Sacramento-Davis EFT Center
- 2019- 2020 Mom and Postpartum Support International (PSI) Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training for Mental Health and Clinical Professionals
- 2018- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Core Skills I and II Advanced Training Program- Aikin and Associates at the Greater Sacramento-Davis EFT Center
- 2017- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship Program- Aikin and Associates at the Greater Sacramento-Davis EFT Center
- 2015- Level One Theraplay and Marschak Interaction Method Training- The Theraplay Institute
- 2015- Certificate in Infant- Preschooler Mental Health- California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University
Professional Publications
Tihin, M.L. (2017). The Narratives Of Career-Driven Women and Their Experiences of Motherhood (Publication No. 12755) [Doctoral dissertation, Alliant International University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Speaking Engagements- Trainings
- 2019- Introduction to Maternal Mental Health & Women’s Reproductive Mental Health- The Solace Center- Co-Presenter- CEU Training
- 2019- Integrative Approach To Maternal Wellness Conference- Panel Expert
- 2018- CAMFT-CSJV Chapter Open Couch- Panel Expert
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)
- California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
- CAMFT- The Central San Joaquin Valley Chapter