Melissa Shumacher
Intern

There is nothing more frustrating than feeling trapped in a cycle or rut. Although we know ourselves best, sometimes we are too close to the mirror to see our own reflection. Seeking support and collaboration in these moments is a brave step towards getting unstuck.

As a student in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northwestern University, Melissa specializes in seeing couples and families and practices Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST). With this framework, she looks at her clients in the context of their relationships, community, and society. She strays away from pathologizing individuals and instead looks at what is going on in the broader system. She is action-oriented and focused on the present, working with you to identify problems, suggest alternative solutions, and lift constraints or barriers to healing. She believes that problems can be solved, and therapy can come to a graceful end.

With a decade of work in the corporate world and a Master's in Business Administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, she deeply understands the struggle of balancing a 9-5 with everything else that needs to get done, all while striving to live a fulfilling life. Melissa believes there is a way to do this well and on your own terms. She also has deep experience in group facilitation and continues to teach and coach MBA students on developing skills in interpersonal dynamics.

Outside of work, she likes to spend time with her partner and family, read light fiction, sit on her back porch with a cup of tea, listen to true crime podcasts, and cook easy and healthy meals.