Therapist in Richmond, Virginia Melinda Ensley, Therapist

Melinda Ensley is a: Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Licensed Professional Counselor(LPC) in Virginia, Louisiana & Kentucky & a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) in Louisiana.

Melinda has been practicing since 1997 & her employment has spanned the public, private & nonprofit sectors. She has spent 8 years working in Managed Care in order to gain a full understanding of the entire HealthCare system. Melinda obtained her degrees from Florida State University. She holds a B.S. (Bachelor’s Degree) in Psychology with a Minor in Special Education M.S. (Master’s of Science) in Counseling & Human Systems & An Ed.S. (Education Specialist) in Mental Health. Her specialties include Grief & Loss, Coping with Chronic & Terminal Illnesses, Couples & Family Issues, Goal Setting, Effective Communication & Conflict Management. In addition to general Mental, Emotional & Behavioral Health issues.

Melinda is not only highly educated, experienced, and qualified as a practitioner, but she has immense & intense personal “lived experience” in chronic / terminal physical, emotional, and mental illness. Her passion is holistic therapy & counseling. Integrating all parts of an individual’s personal life (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual) to achieve recovery and healing.

Having grown up in the phenomenal New Jersey public school system (and coming from an extremely artistically talented family); Melinda enjoyed playing piano, cello & singing from a very young age. Moving to the Greater New Orleans area at the age of 12, she was exposed to a music mecca (Ellis Marsalis was her piano teacher at summer camp!!) She began college as a Music Therapy major, eventually shifting to Psychology. She still utilizes music in her practice when clients feel inclined. Florida State had an amazing football team in the late 80’s early 90’s (which was way more interesting to her than hanging out alone in a practice room in the music school). It was then that she learned more about her family’s football history. Her son is now a 4th generation college football player in Virginia. Melinda has an intense love for college football (especially the Richmond Spiders & her FSU Seminoles) and enjoys her Eagles & Saints. In her free time, she enjoys her Peloton but prefers the outdoors. She finds sunsets and sunrises grounding. She is half-hearted about her yoga practice but needs the mat daily for her own chronic spinal issues. Melinda’s daughter is now also in college and together they have an a 3-yr-old rescue German Shephard who de-throned the petite rescue cat.

She may not travel back to New Orleans for Mardi Gras but will always be out of the office during New Orleans Jazz Fest. She has continued to decline invitations to seminary, but her Faith is paramount. She is open to her clients incorporating their own in their healing. Her personal & professional experiences with Cancer and SPMI (Severe Persistent Mental Illness) are the driving forces for her life-long volunteer work.