Who We Are
At Wise Mind we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Therapy should be as individualized as the client. We spend time up front matching clients with the right therapist because we know this is critical to good therapy outcomes. Our therapists listen, educate, and work with clients to determine the best therapy for their needs.
Founder and Psychotherapist
Melisa is the founder of Wise Mind Psychotherapy. She works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. She treats people who have anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, parent-child issues, self-injury, disordered eating behaviors, and relationship difficulties. She has a special interest in people who struggle to regulate emotions. Melisa views therapy as an opportunity for people to learn, gain insight, and practice skills.
Melisa has been helping people solve problems for 30 years: first as a high school math teacher, next in tech sector sales and marketing, and for 15 years as a psychotherapist. Prior to private practice, she worked in foster and adoptive care teaching parenting classes and working with at-risk adolescents. She also worked at a local residential treatment center facilitating adolescent and multifamily therapy groups. She worked in a group practice before founding Wise Mind, where she has assembled an amazing team of therapists.
In addition to a Masters in Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, Melisa has degrees in Mathematics and Education from Auburn University. Melisa lives in northern Virginia with her family and a menagerie of animals.
Melisa Atkeson, LCSW
Psychotherapist
Kendall has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Work from George Mason University. She is passionate about helping people find joy and contentment in their lives. Kendall enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, and their families as they recover from depression, loss, grief, anxiety, and trauma. Kendall works collaboratively to use the therapeutic tools that most meet her clients’ needs.
Kendall has worked with Goodwin House and Goodwin Living at Home helping older adults navigate aging and the choice to live in place. In her previous life, Kendall was the pastry chef and owner of Kendall’s Cakes in Falls Church, Va, where she designed celebration cakes for such luminaries as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Tony Bennett.
When Kendall is not helping others, she is actively trying to get her parrots, Maine Coon cats, and three dogs to behave.
Kendall Barrett, LCSW
Psychotherapist
Yun enjoys working with children, adolescents, and young adults as they develop and strengthen their personal identities. She treats people with anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief. She also is passionate about working with people as they navigate relationships, identity, life transitions, and self-esteem. Yun uses a combination of styles such as CBT, DBT, and a strengths-based approach.
Yun has been a case manager as well as an inpatient psychiatric social worker and has experience with severe mental health conditions as well. Before entering social work, Yun worked in youth programming, providing academic as well as social-emotional support to high school student athletes (and still enjoys working with athletes!)
Yun received her Bachelor's degree in international relations from American University and her Master's degree in social work from the Catholic University of America. She currently has an LMSW in Virginia and Maryland and an LGSW in DC.
In her spare time, Yun likes to learn about plants and spend time with friends.
Yun Simpson LMSW, LGSW
Psychotherapist
Ellie is a resident in Professional Counseling. She is passionate about working with children, adolescents and their families, supporting them in emotional and behavioral struggles they may be experiencing. Ellie works collaboratively to help clients achieve their potential by creating a safe space where they can develop effective ways of coping and hone their decision-making skills.
Ellie uses an individualized and holistic approach, drawing from different therapeutic orientations that best suit each client’s unique situation.
Ellie particularly enjoys working with children, utilizing play-based therapies such as Child-Centered Play therapy, Child-Parent Relationship therapy, and Theraplay. Play helps children understand their feelings and express themselves using the language they know best. She also works with families to address family-based issues, parenting, and parenting during and after divorce.
Ellie Zadeh, LPC
Psychotherapist
Christy is committed to creating a safe, empathetic space for her clients to process their life experiences and find joy, fulfillment, and peace. She enjoys working with a variety of clients including adolescents, adults of all ages, couples, and families. Christy has experience addressing challenges with anxiety, OCD, depression, neurodiversity (ADHD and Autism), grief and loss, relational difficulties, self-esteem, and trauma/PTSD. She is especially passionate about helping clients with trauma recovery, including providing tools for emotional regulation and methods for processing traumatic experiences. Christy is fully Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trained, trauma-informed, and has additional training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Systems Therapy, attachment, somatic therapies, and psychodynamic therapy.
Christy is a strong believer in the client being the expert of their own experience — a philosophy that guides her collaborative, accepting, and nonjudgmental approach. Previously, she worked with clients at The Women’s Center and JSSA, assisting with domestic violence and sexual abuse recovery and a variety of other challenges. Christy holds a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Born and raised in the DMV, she welcomes working with people of different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Outside the office, Christy can be found gardening, playing tennis, volunteering with local refugee organizations, and spending time with her family.
Christy Hinckley, MSW
Psychotherapist
Rebecca works with children, adolescents, adults, parents, and families. She uses person-centered and relational approaches, as well as Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Filial Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Rebecca loves helping people experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, attachment and relationship concerns, parent-child challenges, and identity development, including gender and sexual identity. She also enjoys working with neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD, autism, and high sensitivity traits (HSP).
Rebecca values building strong therapeutic relationships and believes healing happens through feeling understood, supported, and emotionally safe. She approaches each client within the context of their cultural and lived experiences, and helps clients develop awareness of how emotions show up both emotionally and physically. She is knowledgable about developmental needs across different ages and stages of life and strives to tailor therapy to each client’s unique needs.
Rebecca earned her M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest Universityand her B.A. in Psychology from George Washington University. She previously worked at a local suicide crisis hotline, The Women’s Center in Vienna, and a group private practice in Mclean. She continues to pursue advanced training in Child-Centered Play Therapy, ACT, and related therapeutic approaches When not working, Rebecca enjoys creating art, drinking coffee, doing puzzles, exercising, watching movies and spending time with her family, including her doggo.
Rebecca Rossiter. LPC
Practice Manager
Kelly holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and is the practice manager at Wise Mind Psychotherapy. She also works as a Substance Abuse Counselor for Loudoun County Public Schools.
Kelly manages billing and communication with clients to make sure they have what they need. She will likely know the answer to any question you have!
In her spare time Kelly is likely to be found on a beach in some distant locale or playing with her grandchildren closer to home.
Kelly Rankin, LCSW
Eddie
Weighing in at about 6 lbs, Eddie has no real credentials except being incredibly cute and interested in making people feel better! He was found wandering by the side of a road in 2019 when he was about 4 months old. His original owners couldn’t be found so Melisa brought him home (obviously!) and gave him a job at Wise Mind where he is thriving! He looks forward to meeting you in person.
Rooster
Rooster likes to come to work with Kendall, his favorite person in the whole world. He is exceptional at listening and modeling calm. People feel less anxious just by being in his presence (mirror neurons!!). He is incredibly sweet and welcomes you to Wise Mind.
