MEET
MELISSA MARKS

Licensed Professional Counselor
Certified Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Board Certified Art Therapist
Over 25 years professional experience in the mental health field.
Loves hiking, beaches, painting, country music and sports.

I believe it is possible to live as soul-embodied human beings—plugged into what lights us up and living our version of what it means to be our highest selves. However, life is hard and full of challenges, making it difficult to get back to this natural state. I help people develop skills to connect to this most loving, whole, unique and authentic place within themselves, no matter whatever challenges have been a part of your past. I know that the present moment holds the key to massive transformation and healing. I feel I am meant to serve people in this way—providing a space as a healer, counselor, and coach, and I am grateful and dedicated to this work.

Below is a pretty detailed summary of how I got here, in case that’s of interest to you:

In 1998, I was living in New York City working as a Real Estate Agent. Years of unhealed trauma, severe anxiety (especially socially), left me feeling depleted emotionally, physically and mentally.

At that time, meditation was not as popular as it is today, and I knew a whopping two people who meditated! I started going with one of these friends to Siddha Yoga, which was a really lively way for me to be introduced to meditation. (Siddha Yoga is a chanting meditation with the spiritual teacher, Gurumayi Chidvilasanada, later featured in the book Eat, Pray, Love),

The best part was that I found out very quickly that I started improving and feeling better. During my 7 years in the city, I tried to seek out as many spiritual and meditation teachers as I could. I learned Vipassana through a 10-day silent meditation retreat and continued exploring meditation for a number of years at Art of Living (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) where I spent time in person with him on longer retreats. I had life-changing meditations while sitting in the presence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Cealo and learning from their wisdom and compassion. Also during this time, I was fortunate enough to work with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as my therapist. Her unique background of studying under a Shaman and becoming a Transcendental Meditation Teacher allowed me to see an expansive range of therapeutic possibilities. I knew I wanted to one day do something similar and work as a therapist in a holistic way. I learned through these formidable years that I could heal and that healing was a process. I received my Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute in 2002 and began to work in the field of mental health.

In 2005, I began volunteering at the American Cancer Society and running my first, small meditation group. It felt so right that I continued facilitating meditation groups while working with victims/ survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence at the Women’s Shelter of South Texas. This same year I went though Yoga Teacher Training with Camille Thomasson at the Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi.

For about the next 10 years I continued to nurture my personal practice and my professional work—becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. I was always incorporating meditation into the work I was doing, whether I was working for someone else or eventually starting my own side meditation coaching business. That side business finally became my full-time gig in 2016 when I hit the hardest time of my life. It was an eye opening time of leaving everything I thought I knew behind and trusting myself to start over.

I love learning. In 2018 I studied 23 different styles of meditation and became a Certified Meditation Teacher under the teaching of Chelsey Charbeneau.

Through the years I’ve deepened what my faith looks like, which is not defined by any one specific doctrine. I believe many traditions have wisdom to share. I continue to explore my spirituality. I never want to stop. I believe in God. I also believe that God doesn’t care what name you give it, or if you care to name it at all.

I’m happy. And very blessed. I am here to share in whatever ways God has laid out for me.

Who I Work With

I work with people of all ages, diverse backgrounds and walks of life. Their professions are just as diverse: creatives, lawyers, accountants, business associates, financial advisors, office managers, students, entrepreneurs, CEOs, athletes, educators, counselors, coaches, salespeople, marketers, stay-at-home parents, doctors, nurses…Most of these wonderful people are also carrying old wounding and trauma. If this work has shown me one thing, it’s that most people have been carrying hurt and pain, in varying degrees. No matter if you feel like yours is “too much” or “not that big a deal”, you are in the right place. You are worthy to be here. Just as you are.

More About You

You are brave. You are open. You are ready to heal anything that keeps you from living more fully in your WHY. You have some unfinished business and are ready to go there now. You are ready to receive the gifts you were born to give the world, You are ready to live.

How I Help

I help clients get results. If you have a purpose to discover, we start there like curious beginners on a fact-finding mission. If you know your purpose but feel stuck, unclear, or like you’ve hit a plateau, we start there—healing old wounds and clearing a path. The process is always a unique spirit-driven journey with the invitation to shatter any unconscious, limiting beliefs and to surpass your wildest goals and dreams.

My Approach

I am warm and compassionate and aim to hold a very safe space or you. I don’t sit passively by and say “How does that make you feel?” I provide an active, engaged role for you as a trained counselor with many years of successful experiences working with people. This means I may introduce new ideas, therapeutic approaches, and actionable tools (along with homework) so that you can truly get what you came for from this experience. I offer information, not advice. I help you discover the power of your own inner voice. I will also gently challenge you as appropriate. I listen very closely for inconsistencies and issues related to your mind-body-spirit alignment. Everything we do is an invitation. You are always the one in charge of where we go and when we do.