Susan has extensive experience treating depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADD, and more. She also specializes in LGBTQ issues. She wants to get to know you as a person and involve you in any decision-making regarding medications. She believes that a conversational interview can reveal things that pertain to your mental health.

As a functional psychiatric provider, Susan believes that there are other issues such as vitamin deficiencies, abnormal cortisol, thyroid, and hormone levels along with gut health that, when corrected, will augment your treatment and help you become your healthiest.

Susan’s goal is to keep your mental health is at its optimum and help you function to your capacity.

Do you struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation or emotional intensity disorder? Do you have a need for medication management and are interested in supportive psychotherapy? I would love to help you build a life worth living and live in alignment with your values and beliefs.

I offer medication management and supportive psychotherapy through active listening and strengthening coping skills. I believe the clinician/patient relationship is key to improving self-esteem and alleviating symptoms of mental illness.

Every person deserves a welcoming, listening ear and I am here to support you through your journey. I also work with a team who offers therapeutic services, medication management, psychedelic therapy (SPRAVATO®) to patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, or TMS evaluations for those struggling with depression or OCD.

Melissa Nelson, LCSW, CSAC is a therapist at Relief Mental Health in West Allis, Wis. She has nearly 15 years of experience, with five years specifically focused on therapy, helping with clients who feel fearful and stuck because of a traumatic experience, those who’ve experienced feelings of depression, hopelessness, and anxiety, and those who struggle with substance use.

Melissa believes that change is attainable but knows that everyone isn’t always equipped with the necessary skills to navigate life’s challenges. She provides a safe and validating space to learn healthy skills and experience healing.

Through a trauma-informed, patient-centered, skills-focused approach, Melissa identifies individual goals and builds on strengths. Drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness approaches to heal the impact of trauma, Melissa helps patients gain control of distressing emotions while improving their overall mental health.

Melissa earned a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Bachelor degrees in Social Work and in Women’s Studies, also from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She joined Relief in 2022 and resides in Milwaukee with her dog, Buster, and cat, Tobie. In her free time, she enjoys connecting with nature through hiking, camping, and anything to do with being on or in the water. She also enjoys reading and photography.

At Relief Mental Health, Melissa collaborates with a dedicated team of experts. Together, they provide evidence-based therapeutic services, medication management, psychedelic antidepressant therapy (SPRAVATO® esketamine) for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, and/or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for those struggling with depression, OCD or other diagnoses.