Childhood can be full of wonder, but it can also bring big emotions that feel too overwhelming for kids to handle on their own. Meltdowns, worries, struggles with attention, or difficulty making friends are often signs that a child is carrying more than they can express. Parents may feel overwhelmed and triggered watching their child act out, withdraw, or lose confidence, unsure how to ease their child’s struggles.
In therapy, children are invited into a safe, creative space where feelings don’t have to be explained perfectly in words. Through play, art, and other developmentally attuned approaches, I help kids process emotions, build self-awareness, and learn practical skills for managing frustration, anxiety, and stress. These creative tools become a bridge toward confidence, connection, and inner calm.
At the same time, I collaborate with parents, offering insight and support while preserving your child’s sense of safety in the therapy room. Together, we can strengthen your child’s emotional resilience, improve behavior at home or school, and help them feel more secure in who they are so they can enjoy childhood with more ease and joy.
Over the years, I've spent thousands of hours helping children, teens and young adults who were struggling with anxiety, depression, the effects of trauma, and low self-worth and confidence.
Adolescence and young adulthood can be some of the most exciting—and most challenging—years of life. Hormones, academic pressures, friendships, family dynamics, and questions of identity often collide, leaving teens feeling overwhelmed or triggered, withdrawn, or unsure of themselves. Parents may notice mood swings, isolation, or conflict and worry whether their teen is coping in healthy ways.
Therapy offers a safe space for teens and young adults to untangle what’s really going on inside. Here, they can explore their feelings, experiment with self-expression, and discover what feels authentic to them. Whether it’s anxiety, depression, social struggles, perfectionism, or life transitions, therapy provides tools to navigate setbacks, see silver linings in obstacles, and build resilience for the future.
My role is to listen deeply, support growth, and cheer them on as they become more of the person they long to be. With compassion and guidance, teens and young adults learn to identify their “yeses” and “nos,” build healthier relationships, and create goals aligned with their best self. The result is a greater sense of self-trust, confidence, and clarity as they move into adulthood.
"It's rare to find someone who makes you feel heard, supported, and luminous. Melina has done exactly that over the course of years, especially in my young adult life. She was an integral part of my college application process and coached me through launching my nascent career after graduation. She helped me find my voice through deep conversations and essay edits, so it would come through in my college applications and we celebrated when it did so successfully! She's been a major gut-check and making me feel secure and emboldened in my life decisions, which is challenging as a young woman. She's also guided me through familial relationships complicated by addiction and provided me with insights that make me feel so abundant and thankful in many ways. I will always cherish my relationship with Melina and can rely on her to make me feel at home, accepted, and empowered!"
-Sarah D
Schedule a free 15‑minute consult
Schedule a free 15‑minute consult to see if we’re a good fit
Therapy can help your family find its way back to something meaningful
Melina Bridges
828-747-8900
30 Cumberland Avenue, suite #104
Asheville, NC 28801
ashevillechildtherapist@gmail.com
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