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Hi there!
I'm Melissa, a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Owner/CEO of Sunny Side Up Therapy & Consulting, and lover of learning.
I am originally from Michigan, but I mainly grew up in South Florida. After earning my master’s degree at the University of South Florida, I decided to stay in Tampa and marry the love of my life. We have five fur babies who always find a way to give me a little extra support. Sometimes, that means I get extra snuggles, and sometimes, that means they fall asleep on the job.
I have many passions in life. One of them is helping others, which is why I founded this company. As you will see throughout the website, I saw a need and knew I needed to fill the gap. As someone who has experienced my share of learning difficulties, I have the unique advantage of having firsthand experience using strategies to help myself every day.
I have recently discovered a new passion in understanding and providing services for those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). With a recent personal diagnosis and deep dive into research, I have found this disorder has historically been underdiagnosed, especially in women. I have also learned about direct correlations between neurodiversity and cognitive functioning, as well as alternative forms of treatment available (such as light therapy, Tomatis® Method, and psilocybin protocols). By helping myself through this learning process, I have developed even more strategies to help others.
During this growth process, I was also able to rediscover several of my other passions, including my love for nature, getting my hands in the dirt, and creating. When I'm not hyper focused on learning something new, you may find me outside soaking up the sunshine by the beach or in the mountains. This year, I have finally been able to keep my tomato plants alive... and grow tomatoes to eat. This is a very big accomplishment for me.
I believe my creative passions fuel me as a human, a thinker, a learner, and an SLP. Whether I'm creating jewelry, designing cards, or coming up with a challenging task for a client, I thrive when I can think outside the box. Some of my greatest achievements or treatment interventions have come from a time when I was stuck but allowed myself to fall back on my creativity to see me through.
My journey through
the health care industry
So, after nearly nine years of experience in the healthcare industry, I almost walked away. I tried different settings and age groups, but one thing remained the same.
The system is broken.
I was broken.
As a therapist. As a caregiver. As a human.
I was broken.
But I knew I couldn't live the rest of my life that way. And I couldn't let my patients feel the impacts of the system through me.
So I left.
Turns out, Hamilton's Secretary Jefferson was right. "If there's a fire your trying to douse, you can't put it out from inside the house."
When I decided to leave, I began to shatter, in every meaning of the word. But it was necessary. I had to let the order following, people pleaseing parts of me shatter.
It felt like I shattered into a million pieces, but every crack was necessary. This process helped me see past the red tape and glass ceiling. It helped me see myself as a whole person and not a productivity robot. Probably most importantly, this process helped me value my own neurological superpowers (ADHD and a few others) instead of fighting against them.
So I left.
Turns out, Hamilton's Secretary Jefferson was right. "If there's a fire your trying to douse, you can't put it out from inside the house."
When I decided to leave, I began to shatter, in every meaning of the word. But it was necessary. I had to let the order following, people pleaseing parts of me shatter.
It felt like I shattered into a million pieces, but every crack was necessary. This process helped me see past the red tape and glass ceiling. It helped me see myself as a whole person and not a productivity robot. Probably most importantly, this process helped me value my own neurological superpowers (ADHD and a few others) instead of fighting against them.
Now, I am able to use my knowledge, my passion for this field, and my compassion for others to develop a new path. One that focuses on:
- the client and their families.
- the value of how people learn and think differently.
- allowing us to look deeper and move towards finding a root cause.
- helping my clients LIVE, not just survive.
To build this path, I am using my professional and personal experiences in tandem with research and evidence to generate my programs and coaching platforms. This gives my clients access to the most up-to-date knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge to their lives. After all, if we don’t know how to use something, it’s not going to do us a lot of good.
Let’s keep building this path together. I’ve laid the foundation. Now, we get to the exciting part! Learning how to help you.
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
Mission Statement
Vision Statement
Learn how to THRIVE!
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