Specialties: Children, Adolescents, Anxiety Disorders, Emotional Regulation, Depression, Perfectionism, OCD, Confidence and Self Esteem
Education: Melissa White, Ph.D., earned her B.S. in Psychology from St. Mary’s College of California and her M.S. (2016) and Ph.D. (2019) in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University. Dr. White’s research focused on clients who experience deterioration (i.e., worsening symptoms) in therapy and explored how therapists can use treatment monitoring to reduce dropout and improve outcomes. As such, she is a strong advocate for incorporating monitoring systems and technology to enhance therapeutic effectiveness.
Dr. White completed her pre-doctoral internship in Cleveland, Ohio, where she conducted psychological testing and therapy for children, teens, and families in low-income communities. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and parents across a variety of clinical settings, including community mental health centers, residential treatment facilities for girls in the foster care system, group practices, and private practice.
Dr. White is thrilled to be returning to CHATS to work alongside Dr. Taylor and the team after several years away due to relocation.
Treatment Modalities: Dr. White integrates a range of evidence-based treatment modalities tailored to each client’s needs, including:
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Family Systems Therapy
• Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
• Parent Management Training (PMT)
Dr. White has specific training and interest in helping those with oppositional behaviors, emotional dysregulation, attention difficulties, and trauma-related disorders (e.g., PTSD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, ADHD). She also enjoys working with clients struggling with anxiety, OCD, and depression (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Selective Mutism, Social Phobia, Major Depressive Disorder).
She is passionate about supporting children, teens, and their parents and has sought mentorship throughout her career from experts who specialize in this population to ensure she provides the most evidence-based care possible.
Therapy Approach: Dr. White views psychotherapy as both an art and a science—a balance between understanding research and applying it meaningfully to each client’s life. She admits that life can be heavy, confusing, and at times overwhelming. No matter how hard we try—as people, parents, or therapists—we cannot erase sadness, fear, or imperfection. However, Dr. White aims to help clients reduce needless suffering caused by mental illness.
Her goal is for clients to leave therapy with greater confidence, hope, and resilience when facing life’s challenges. She strives to accomplish this by: 1) Educating clients 2) Helping them deepen self-understanding, and 3) Implementing a thoughtful, individualized treatment plan.
While she can’t promise a life free from difficulty, she seeks to help clients strengthen their ability to rise above it. Dr. White believes deeply in the resilience of the human spirit and wants to help cultivate that resilience with her clients.
About Me: Melissa has lived in several states across the U.S. and even spent part of her childhood abroad. She is a mom to two young girls, a stepmom to two teenage girls, and a dog mom to one rowdy German Shepherd. She loves spending time with her husband and kids—whether they’re competing in board games, tidying up after dinner, or taking evening walks together.
A lifelong athlete and sports enthusiast, Melissa played Division I volleyball in her “glory days” and jokes that she “still has it”. But only if she is playing against 10-year-olds and she gets extra stretch breaks.
Dr. White would love the opportunity to meet with you or your child, learn your story, and see how she can help.