Mel Friedel

Mel (she/they) is an Advanced Clinical Trainee with Dwellness. She believes in the healing power of human connection and centers the therapeutic relationship at the core of her work with clients. She aims to create an anti-oppressive space and make therapy accessible, meaningful, and instill a sense of belonging for clients with any background and identity: adults, couples, families, adolescents, and kids, LGBTQIA+ and non-monogamous, spiritual or religious, those new to therapy, and everyone in between. Drawing from mindfulness practices and humanistic, existential, cognitive behavioral, relational, Gestalt, and psychodynamic theories, Mel’s style is eclectic. She believes in a feelings-forward approach where clients can process whatever is on their mind and heart without judgment. While it is sometimes easier to focus on thinking over feeling, she believes that through presence and self-awareness, we can get familiar with feelings, needs, and the body’s emotional wisdom. Together, we can tend to whatever arrives and learn from it. 

Mel is completing their Master of Social Work program at NYU and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from American University. They’ve provided mental health counseling with a harm reduction lens in a substance use recovery setting, where they helped clients manage daily stress, make change when feeling stuck, navigate family and relationships, and cope with trauma. They have worked for over 4 years in experiential education with college students, coaching and mentoring young people through evolving identities, big questions, and decisions about the future. Mel brings this curious, collaborative, and supportive spirit to their work with clients in person and virtually. They love to learn from others and know that the client is always the expert of their own experience. Mel tailors their approach to each unique individual's needs, strengths, and goals, putting the client in the driver’s seat of where the therapy can go. Mel is based in Brooklyn, and outside of work and school, they spend weekends birdwatching in city parks, exploring the queer comedy scene, and finding new ways to move and feel creative.