Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Fleming.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey began at The University of Texas at Austin, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in 1999. A few years later, I returned to UT and completed my master’s degree in Psychology in 2004.
While completing my graduate studies, I taught middle school at Bailey Middle School in Austin from January 2000 through May 2004. Those years confirmed my passion for working with young people, and they also changed my personal life because it’s where I met my husband.
Although I loved teaching, I realized I wanted to support students in a different way. That led me to become a school counselor, where I spent the next 13 years helping students and their families navigate academic, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Eventually, I decided to take a leap into private practice so I could spend more time working directly with children and families in a deeper, more individualized way.
Part of what drew me to this profession comes from my own life experiences. I grew up as an Army brat and had moved 13 times by the age of nine. Constant transitions taught me how difficult change can be, especially for children who often have little control over the decisions being made around them. Later, when my parents divorced while I was in high school, I experienced another major life transition that would later reinforce my desire to help children and families navigate challenges they didn’t choose. Those experiences gave me empathy for children who feel overwhelmed, unheard, or uncertain, and they continue to shape the way I approach therapy today.
I’m also a mom to two amazing daughters who continue to teach me every day. My 17-year-old is autistic and has ADHD, while my 11-year-old is “spicy” in her own wonderful way. We joke that she’s probably the most neurotypical person in our house. Parenting a neurodivergent child has given me a perspective that no textbook or training ever could. It has helped me better understand the daily victories, frustrations, advocacy, and resilience that so many of the families I work with experience. When parents sit across from me, I don’t just understand them as a therapist. I understand many of those feelings as a parent, too.
Today, I primarily work with neurodivergent children, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, and other learning differences. One of the greatest joys of my work is advocating for these kids and helping them recognize that they are important, capable, and valued exactly as they are. I also love helping parents navigate the unique challenges and incredible strengths that come with raising neurodivergent children.
Teaching has always been part of who I am, so even after leaving the classroom, I never stopped being an educator. I recently launched my podcast, Parent Hacks for the Neurospicy, available free on Spotify, where I share practical strategies (with my collegue and friend Dr Hannah Korkow-Moradi), helpful tips, and a little humor to support parents raising neurodivergent children.
Another passion of mine is training therapists. I teach play therapy and specialize in sandtray therapy as a World Sandtray Trainer and Clinically Certified Sandtray Therapist Trainer. Sandtray is an incredibly powerful therapeutic approach because it allows people to express experiences that are often difficult to put into words. While many people associate it with children, I especially enjoy using sandtray with adults. It helps access implicit memories, process trauma, reflect on life transitions, and create meaningful movement toward healing and growth.
Looking back, each chapter of my career has built upon the last. Whether I was teaching in a classroom, counseling in a school, sitting in a therapy room with a child or adult, recording a podcast episode, or training clinicians around the world, my mission has remained the same: helping people feel seen, understood, empowered, and equipped to thrive. My hope is that every child and family who walks through my door leaves knowing they matter and that they have the ability to grow through whatever life brings their way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. Like most people, life has thrown some unexpected challenges my way, and each one has shaped both who I am as a person and the therapist I am today.
One of the biggest leaps I ever took was leaving the security of being a school counselor after 13 years to open my own private practice in 2017. It was exciting, but also incredibly scary because I was stepping into the unknown. Then, almost immediately after making that decision, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
That season of life tested me in ways I never expected. My daughters were still young, and as a mom, my biggest concern wasn’t my career. It was whether I would be there to watch them grow up. There were so many unknowns, and I had to learn to live one day at a time while trusting the people around me and accepting help when I needed it.
Today, I am incredibly grateful to say I am nine years cancer-free. Walking through cancer changed my perspective on almost everything. It reminded me that our careers and accomplishments matter, but the relationships we build with our family, friends, and the people we serve matter even more. It gave me a greater appreciation for the present and reinforced why I do the work I do.
Because of my own experiences with major life transitions, loss, uncertainty, and parenting, I bring a different level of empathy into the therapy room. I understand what it feels like when life doesn’t go according to plan. My hope is that every client leaves feeling seen, supported, and believing that even in life’s hardest seasons, healing and hope are possible.
We’ve been impressed with Melissa Fleming, LPC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Melissa Fleming, LPC is a private counseling practice located in Buda, Texas, serving children, adolescents, adults, and families. My passion is working with neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, and learning differences. I strive to help clients recognize their strengths while giving them practical tools to navigate everyday life with confidence.
What sets my practice apart is that I don’t just bring professional experience. I also bring personal experience. As the mom of a 17-year-old daughter who is autistic and has ADHD, I’ve experienced the advocacy, uncertainty, victories, and learning that many of the families I work with face every day. That perspective allows me to connect with parents on a level that goes beyond textbooks and clinical training.
I also believe therapy should be creative, engaging, and individualized. I specialize in play therapy and sandtray therapy because these approaches allow children and adults to express thoughts and emotions that are often difficult to put into words. While many people think of sandtray as something only for children, I especially enjoy using it with adults to process trauma, life transitions, grief, relationships, and personal growth.
Education has always been at the heart of my career. In addition to counseling, I train mental health professionals as a World Sandtray Trainer, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and Clinically Certified Sandtray Therapist Trainer. I love watching therapists gain confidence and take what they’ve learned back to their own communities, where they can impact countless children and families.
I’m also the co-host of Parent Hacks for the Neurospicy, a podcast I created with my friend and colleague, Dr. Hannah Korkow-Moradi. We wanted to provide parents with practical ideas, evidence-based strategies, and a little humor to remind them they aren’t alone in this journey.
More than anything, I want people to know that my practice is a place where they can show up exactly as they are. My goal is for every client, whether they’re five or fifty-five, to leave feeling heard, valued, and hopeful. I want children to know they matter, parents to feel supported, and adults to discover that healing is possible at every stage of life.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There is no question that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the incredible people who have supported me along the way.
First and foremost, my mom and dad deserve so much of the credit. They always were my biggest cheerleaders, always believing in me, encouraging me to pursue my dreams, and reminding me to keep going even when life became difficult. Losing them in during different periods of my life has been incredibly hard, but I’m so thankful for the example they set and the love and support they gave to me throughout my life.
I’m also deeply grateful for my husband, daughters, family, and close friends. Building a private practice, raising a family, navigating breast cancer, and pursuing additional certifications and training would not have been possible without their constant encouragement. They have celebrated the victories with me and carried me through the difficult seasons.
Professionally, I have been fortunate to work alongside amazing colleagues who continually inspire me to grow. I believe collaboration makes all of us better therapists. Whether we’re sharing ideas, consulting on difficult cases, or teaching together, I’ve learned so much from the talented professionals around me. I’m especially grateful for the friendships I’ve built within the play therapy and sandtray communities. They have challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me become a better clinician, trainer, and person.
Finally, I owe so much to my clients and the families who trust me with their stories. Every child, parent, and adult who has invited me into their journey has taught me something about resilience, courage, and hope. They remind me every day why I chose this profession. It is truly an honor to walk alongside people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and I never take that responsibility for granted.
Pricing:
- $175 a session?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://melissa-fleming.clientsecure.me/
- Instagram: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/melissa-fleming-buda-tx/238236
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/3bXzrzxLN995aJCXkOZqsa?si=80f837bc34654540
