Melissa is a registered Psychologist. She completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) with First Class Honours at Macquarie University and holds a Master’s degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Melissa has worked across a range of research and clinical settings. Her research has explored cross-cultural factors in family ostracism, school-based mental health programs for young people, and teacher training initiatives to support student wellbeing and reduce teacher burn-out. She has experience in intervention development, feasibility studies, and clinical trials, and has presented her work at academic conferences. Melissa has first-authored a systematic review and co-authored peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals. Clinically, Melissa works with clients across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, parents, and adults. She is a certified PCIT therapist and has particular expertise in working with children presenting with disruptive behaviours, conduct difficulties, and callous-unemotional traits. Melissa currently works with families in the School PCIT Clinic in Sydney, Australia. She has worked on adapting the School PCIT program for real-world settings, contributing to clinician training and supporting the piloting of a teacher coaching component to help families and schools apply strategies consistently across environments. Her clinical style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based practice, with a strong focus on supporting families to achieve meaningful and sustainable change.