Melissa Lewis shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Melissa, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are spent in two places with two important objects. When I wake up my dog Frankie follows me into the kitchen where I fix my coffee and put a treat or two into his Kong. We go to my favorite chair and I spend a little time reading or journaling while drinking my coffee and Frankie works on his Kong. After that, I put on my running/hiking shoes and get Frankie’s leash. Then we find some of our well-worn paths along the river or on a trail near our neighborhood and take a long walk. Between the coffee, the dog, and the long walk…this is where I find serenity for the day!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After a full 20+ career of teaching middle schoolers, I decided to go back to school and get my master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. I now have my own practice and see adolescents, teens, adults and couples. My experience with working with families all the ‘teaching’ years has been extremely helpful in this new endeavor!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
The one thing that can really injure a human soul is another human soul. The one thing that can heal a human soul is another human soul. Our words, actions and feelings can create such beauty if we let them. People give so much of their power to worry, doubt and anxiety. Restoration between two(or more) people begins when we can communicate with kindness, curiosity, respect and honesty.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There were a few times in graduate school that I wanted to quit. My older brain struggled with some of the new technologies and writing ‘APA’ papers and reading large quantities of new in depth content. I was doing all this while teaching middle school and it often felt like I had no free time to just ‘be’. I also struggled finishing school when my mom was diagnosed with ALS. I knew she might need me more, but she encouraged me to keep going.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My close friends would say that family, friends, and human mental and physical health matters most. Also, I love to laugh and be outside!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they will tell about how I walked with them in their good moments and bad. That I was an encourager and reminded them of all they give to the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.melissalewiscounseling.com/
- Instagram: melissalewiscounseling
- Linkedin: Melissa Lewis Counseling
- Facebook: Melissalewiscounseling
