Meet Melissa Foster | Mental Health Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Foster and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“Be Where You Are”

There’s some background to this quote. In high school I was on the track team and one of the last meets of the season ended up being on the saturday that was also prom. And our high school track coach Mr. Henwood, who has since passed, sat all of us down and told us that we needed to, just be where we are.
He went on to explain that while we were at track that is where we needed to be focused and put all of our energy into. We needed to be present for teammates, for ourselves, for all the hard work that we’ve put in through the season. He didn’t want us focusing on our nail appointments, hair appointments, and what time we were meeting for pictures. He told us that when we were at prom we could be there but for now, he needed us to “be where you are”.

We even had T-shirts made with this quote.

I’ve carried this thing with me through the years as it is a great reminder of being able to be present, being mindful, being able to control what you can control, being able to give your energy to the thing that needs your attention at that particular time.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own a private practice in Central Ohio. I am a mental health therapist, social worker by trade, with years of experience. I’ve worked in community mental health, hospital settings, schools. I’ve worked with children, adults, and older adults but really found my niche when I started my own practice in 2019. As a practice owner I went through the changes during the pandemic went fully virtual for a time and now am doing hybrid, in-person but also virtual for folks throughout Ohio.

As a therapist I want to stand out from the rest because of my approach and dedication to my clients’ well-being. I have a passion for helping individuals overcome whatever has them stuck. Some of my clients are new to therapy and some of my clients have been in therapy for years but maybe were not seeing the progress that they wanted to.

I think what sets me apart is my commitment to meet the specific needs of helpers, healers, and other high-risk occupations (think first responders, nurses, teachers, and military service members). It’s hard for us, as the people who are suppose to be strong (or have all the answers) to accept that we need help too, that we live in the real world with struggles of our own, and that sometimes we take off the superhero cape.

One thing I am most proud of is bringing EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) in the group format to Ohio. I am the first provider providing this level of care here, and I’ve seen the positive impact it has made in my clients’ lives. It’s fulfilling.

Something that excites me is guiding new clinicians through consultation and supervision, and seeing how they come into their own style and gain confidence in their skills.

A big lesson I have learned through it all is that I don’t have all the answers, but I don’t need to.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Central Ohio is a pretty diverse place with different things to do and see whether inside or outside.

Some places I would take them to visit- Hocking Hills, Short North, OSU Campus, Columbus Zoo and Aqurarium, Franklin Park Conservatory, and COSI.
Some places I would take them to eat-Schmidt’s Sausage Haus und Restaurant, Brew Dog, First Watch (for breakfast), Lemongrass, and Condado Tacos.

There are a couple local places for shopping Polaris, Easton, and Tuttle. There are a couple local parks we may hit up like Bicentennial Park, Infirmary Mound Park, and Scioto Mile.

We have sports teams we could check out,The Ohio State Buckeyes (College NCAA Athletics), Clippers (Baseball), Crew (Soccer), Blue Jackets (Hockey).

We have tons to do and see!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a couple shout outs. The first one goes to Lauren, my wife, and rock.
Lauren has been my anchor through all of this. The unwavering support keeps me grounded, and her encouragement is unmatched. She listens to my rants, sometimes crazy ideas, and my reading of my to-do list nightly. I am grateful for it all.

Next I need to recognize Ashley.
Big shoutout to my friend, she the voice that refuses to let me settle. She has had belief in my ideas maybe even more than I had in myself and she challenges me when the imposter syndrome sets in.

Last but not least, a special shoutout to my mom, who weathered the storm of my ever-changing majors in college. Every time I called to say, “Guess what? I changed my major again,” she sat down, listened, and allowed me every opportunity to make things happen. She is my tower of positive energy. Her patience and encouragement paved the way for me to be the women and mom I am today.

Website: www.fosteringfortitudeohio.com

Instagram: @fosteringfortitudeohio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-foster-msw-lisw-s-38139672/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissafosterllc/