Melanie Rainbow LISW

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Specialities

  • Anxiety

  • Attachment Trauma

  • Coping Skills and Self-Care

  • Depression

  • Developmental Trauma

  • Family Conflict

  • Life Transitions

  • Parenting

  • Pregnancy & Postpartum

  • Relationships

  • Self-Esteem

  • Stress Management

  • Trauma & PTSD



Mission

My mission is to create an experience of resonance for you in which you feel deeply understood and valued. Within this safe container, I will help you make sense of yourself, increase your self-compassion, and initiate change to improve your life.

Approach

I believe that therapeutic healing happens in the context of a trusting relationship, so my primary goal is to create a felt sense of safety for your body and mind. Once this is established, we may examine your personal history and internal stories, investigate dynamics in your relationships, become familiar with your somatic/physiological landscape, and reimagine your future. I typically utilize a blend of humanistic, body-based, and cognitive-behavioral approaches that promote your inner wisdom and capacity for healing. My clients describe me as genuine, warm, and deeply engaged. 


Training

I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner® and studied under Joshua Sylvae, Raja Selvam, and Dave Berger. I am a Transforming Touch® Therapist, which I learned directly from and have ongoing consultation with Dr. Stephen Terrell. In 2025, I am studying with Kathy Kain to increase my touch skills for trauma work. I have a certificate of completion in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders from Postpartum Support International. I have also completed trainings in attachment theory and psychopathology with Dr. Patricia Crittenden, infant and early childhood mental health, and body psychotherapy. In addition, I am a Reiki Level 2 practitioner and am knowledgeable about complimentary wellness practices to support mental health.

Past Experience

I entered the social work/psychotherapy field after a career in education where I taught elementary and middle school in international and urban settings, directed curriculum development for a private education company, and served as an assessment designer for a large non-profit. I earned my MSW from the University of Iowa in 2020 after completing an advanced practicum at the UIHC Women’s Wellness & Counseling Service and United Action for Youth. I currently sit on the board of the Iowa chapter of Postpartum Support International; I am a former chapter leader for the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) and a former board member of Johnson County Empowerment/Early Childhood Iowa.