Melissa Callahan, LMFT
EFT Certified Therapist & Supervisor, AAMFT Approved Supervisor
Specialities: Clinical Supervision, Couples Therapy & Sexual Issues, Relationship Anxiety & Insecurity, Development & Attachment Trauma, Family of Origin Healing, Perfectionism & People-Pleasing Tendencies, Relationship Transitions & Grief
About Melissa Callahan, LMFT
Hi, I’m Melissa Callahan, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) specializing in attachment-based relational therapy. I believe that relationships profoundly shape our lives, and I approach each session with curiosity, empathy, warmth, and a touch of humor. My goal is to guide clients respectfully and collaboratively through the therapeutic process, fostering an environment where healing can take place.
With over 10 years of experience, I’ve had the privilege of working with couples, individuals, and families. I am an LGBTQ+ ally, non-monogamy-affirming, anti-racist, and culturally humble. My office in Fairfax City in Northern Virginia is where I offer in-person sessions. I also provide tele-health services for clients in Virginia and North Carolina. If you’re considering therapy, I encourage you to reach out to see if we might be a good fit for your journey toward healing.
Therapeutic Approach
Starting therapy is a brave and vulnerable step, and it’s important to find the right support. To ensure you receive effective treatment, I utilize research-backed frameworks that promote growth and healing. I’m a Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist (EFT), a model proven to foster deeper emotional connections and lasting change in relationships. Whether you’re a couple or an individual, EFT has shown to be highly effective in creating meaningful transformation.
In addition to EFT, I incorporate self-compassion techniques and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to support emotional well-being and personal growth.
Supervision & Mentorship
I’m also a Board-Approved Supervisor in both Virginia and North Carolina, eligible to supervise pre-licensed therapists working toward their LMFT or LPC status. As an ICEEFT Certified Supervisor, I can guide you through the process of obtaining EFT certification. Additionally, as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, I provide relational and systemic supervision across the country, and I’m happy to mentor you as you work toward becoming an AAMFT Approved Supervisor yourself.
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it, and embrace them.” -Rumi
My Story
I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a therapist, and a lifelong learner. I am a human with achievements and scars, aspirations and setbacks, creativity and blockages—living a life full of complex relationships, some chosen, some given. My heritage carries the weight of intergenerational trauma from both sides of my family. The combination of my environment, systems, and an innate drive for rebellion and healthier living has propelled me toward finding my purpose.
That purpose is to understand the systemic roots of my experiences and enrich myself with knowledge. It is to heal myself and empower others to untangle their own wounds—just as I have, and will continue to. My purpose is to undo the pain that has been passed down to me, so that I no longer perpetuate it.
My purpose is to become. My purpose is to support others in their becoming.
Relationships have been both the greatest source of pain and the greatest source of joy in my life. I want to share my story, my messages, and my vulnerability, hoping it can help others in their healing journeys. As a relational healer, I seek to support those courageous enough to examine their inner world—their relationship with themselves—and their relationships with others. My passion extends to collaborating with fellow healers, encouraging all of us to acknowledge and nurture the wounds we carry.