Sheri Meland (she/her/hers)

Sheri holds a SAC-IT and believes that sobreity is not the opposite of addiction, connection is. This means that she strives to help consumers understand why they choose to use substances and how to find healthier coping skills (most often those that allow for connection to other people) to replace unhealthy addictions. She also recognizes, particularly from her work with mandated clients, that sometimes people do not want to make change and embraces a harm reduction strategy when appropriate.

Sheri volunteered on the rape crisis hotline for a four year period. She understands trauma focused recovery and the particular importance of empowering survivors to make their own choices. She is able to listen empathetically and to help survivors work through their trauma as well as develop coping skills to support recovery.

Sheri has worked with many consumers struggling with anxiety. From mild general anxiety to social phobia to OCD, she works with clients on acceptance and mindfulness. She has experience using exposure therapy to help clients sit with their own discomfort and realize that they have the abilities to do what they want, even when it feels overwhelming. She works from a nonjudgemental framework and emphasizes the importance of taking small steps at a time.

Sheri does not run official DBT groups; instead, she incorporates many DBT tools into her individual therapy. Most consumers can benefit from emotional regulation, mindfulness, and self soothing strategies that make up the core of DBT skills. She works to help consumers understand and identify their triggers and then work to develop different responses that are more in-line with their own values and preferences.

In her work with consumers struggling with substance use, Sheri embraces MI techniques. She understands the ambivalence that comes with wanting to quit and also appreciating the benefits of continued use. Through Motivational Interviewing, Sheri helps consumers understand both the pros and cons and work towards their goals by embracing change talk.

Sheri has understood and believed in the cognitive-behavioral-emotional triangle since the late 1990s. In her work with consumers, she helps them to understand how their thoughts, emotions, and actions can influence each other. Through this understanding, people are able to discover which portion of the triangle is easiest for them to start to make change.