Meet Melina Rodriguez | Therapist & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melina Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melina, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in Uruguay and immigrated to the US with my family when I was 8 years old. Growing up as an immigrant was isolating, I didn’t realize at the time that I was already creating a collection of traumatic events in my psyche. When your parents are focused on getting ahead in a new country, you don’t really have the emotional support available necessary to process life as it’s happening, you just try to be good and not add to their problems. My parents had me very young (16 &19) and the themselves weren’t raised in the best circumstances. The effect of generational trauma was not stopped by immigrating thousands of miles. Growing up with this sense of emotional and physical isolation really had an impact on me wanting to understand myself and my wounds better. I learned to turn to creativity as my escape- books, art, learning, music, dance. I used to fill up pages upon pages of journals as I tried to make sense of life. Life is art and we are constantly in a state of creation. I find myself adding creative touches into my therapy work when it fits organically. I’ve experienced a lot of relational and attachment trauma, family and intimately. This deepens my work with couples seeking to reconnect and create healthier relationships and with individuals seeking to understand how attachment wounds play a role in their present lives. My desire to understand myself spills over into a desire to understand people and ease the internal experience of isolation. Isolation causes us to create coping mechanisms in order to survive, and typically these turn out to be maladaptive – substances, toxic relationships, sex and risky behaviors. Through awareness and making the subconscious conscious, change becomes tangible. I have been blessed to live the life I’ve lived. Living a life touched by a wide range of experiences allows me to connect with a wide range of clients and makes me a better therapist.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey to become a therapist was one I was afraid to jump into, but once I did everything fell into place – life had more meaning and made more sense. I felt like I had let myself down after my undergrad experience, not living up to my potential. I was sitting in my office job as a Business Analyst and had the deep feeling that I needed to be doing more. I had to work past my own fears and impostor syndrome and accept that I had a different calling, and that I DESERVED it. Developing my identity as a therapist continues to be a learning process, I find that I learn from my clients as much as they learn from our sessions. I had someone tell me before I went into my Master’s program not to become a therapist if I was doing it to work on my own “stuff” and they could not have been more wrong. I fully believe that connection is the path to healing, we learn so much from relationships and each other. There is a reason they say that connection is the opposite of addiction. I develop my relationships with clients very intentionally, showing up for them with true empathy and desire for their success, whatever that means to them. I don’t stick to a singular method, book, or practice but instead I look at each individual as someone with a unique story, unique needs, and unique outcomes. This allows me to be more creative in the process. I’ll often incorporate creativity into sessions- in the form of music, art, mindfulness, even yoga and psychedelic integration. We live in a time where therapy is no longer sitting across from a 60 year old in glasses asking “how does that make you feel?” (unless that’s what you’re looking for!). Empowerment comes from a different place for each of us and I’ve learned to emphasize individual strengths paired with self-compassion for the parts of us that are less than optimal to be the route to authentic self-acceptance.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Denver has a lot to offer as far as entertainment. One of my favorite things to do a few times a year is the First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe, you get to experience local artists showcased in one spot and visit some of Denver’s best galleries. Music is a big influence in my life so a show at Red Rocks or Mission Ballroom is a must. I also love being outside and we are lucky to have so many options near the city. One of my favorite parks to hike is Roxborough State Park and you can take a short drive to Chatfield park for some paddle boarding. For a more local outdoor outing, I enjoy Cheeseman park, on the weekends you can find music and open invite meet-ups that are a great way to meet people. RiNo is one of my favorite areas to get food/drinks because of the variety and beautiful murals. Honey Elixir is a specialty cocktail bar that also serves as a great spot to work remote. Barcelona and Greenwhich have some of the best food in the area.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family and friends. Their unwavering support through my ups and downs is an essential part of my motivation. There are times we need people to believe in us when we can’t believe in ourselves, to remind us that we are worthy and deserving of healing and happiness. There is so much power in being unconditionally loved.

Website: https://www.soulfightcounseling.com/about

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