Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P (she, they)

Verified by Psychology Today Verified by Psychology Today

4 Endorsed

4047 1st Street, Livermore, CA 94550

Photo of Melissa Gutierrez, MFA, APCC, ATR-P, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor

My clients often feel like they're too much: too scared, too anxious, too angry, too sad, too weird, too quiet, too loud, too bad, and even too good. Whether something big and traumatic happened to make you feel "off" or you just got born this way, we work together to explore it, accept it, and do something you feel good about with it. My goal is to help clients find the way to be most themselves in the world so that they feel confident enough to learn new behaviors and different ways of connecting for successful relationships with themselves and others.

I focus on turning "I can't" into "I can" and shame into healthy self-esteem without all the toxic positivity. I work with people who have come from religious backgrounds, people experiencing grief & loss, & people who are creatives, makers, or entrepreneurs. I specialize in art therapy, and offer the same integrative approach to my talk therapy clients.

We are living in a really tough time and I believe therapy can not only help people of any age simply cope, but actually transform enough to overcome, succeed, and create a different kind of future free of stress and anxiety and full of confidence and ease. Call or text today to set a time to get started.

Call or Email Melissa Gutierrez now for a free 15 minute consultation - (415) 237-4386

My Practice at a Glance

Available both in-person and online

4047 1st Street

Livermore, CA 94550

(415) 237-4386

Now providing in-person art therapy and talk therapy in the Tri-Valley as well as virtual session.

I specialize in Grief, Spirituality and Life Transitions

$150 Per Session

I see individuals, couples and families

Let's Connect (415) 237-4386

My Practice at a Glance

Available both in-person and online

4047 1st Street

Livermore, CA 94550

(415) 237-4386

Now providing in-person art therapy and talk therapy in the Tri-Valley as well as virtual session.

I specialize in Grief, Spirituality and Life Transitions

$150 Per Session

I see individuals, couples and families

Finances

Fees

Individual Sessions $150
Sliding scale: apply if you may be eligible
Pay by American Express, Discover, Health Savings Account, Mastercard, Paypal, Venmo, Visa, Zelle

Pricing plan available: $150/session, $500/month, or $1200/quarter.

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Pricing plan available: $150/session, $500/month, or $1200/quarter.

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Qualifications

Verified by Psychology Today Prelicense by State of California / APCC11364 Supervised by Israel Perla (California / MFT43965) Melissa Gutierrez
In Practice for 4 Years
License: Art Therapy Credentials Board Registered Art Therapist - Provisional 24-271 / 2024
Degree/Diploma from The University of Arizona MFA Creative Writing / 2013
Attended Prescott College, MS Counseling, Graduated 2021

I draw on 20 years of experience working with kids and families to bring my dual training in art therapy and clinical mental health counseling to bring people closer together and to what makes them feel less stressed, more at ease, and more alive.

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Specialties and Expertise

Top Specialties

Grief
Spirituality
Life Transitions

Expertise

Adolescents
Anxiety
Artists & Creatives
Behavioral Issues
Cancer
Career Counseling
Codependency
Coping Skills
Depression
Family Conflict
LGBTQ+
Marital and Premarital
Men's Issues
Mood Disorders
Peer Relationships
Racial Identity
Relationship Issues
School Issues
Self Esteem
Sex-Positive, Kink Allied
Sports Performance
Stress
Trauma and PTSD
Veterans
Women's Issues

I feel strongly that our culture does not make enough space for grief and loss and so I strive to do that in my sessions. My extensive experience in death, grief, & bereavement makes me feel oddly comfortable in the face of what some people might consider scary, morbid, or simply too sad. I help grieving clients learn how to hold this heaviness and move forward towards healing and wholeness.

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

4 Endorsements

Danielle Neff

Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, APCC

Melissa is an enthusiastic and passionate therapist. Her sincerity and creativity make her a joy to work with. She has a particular talent for engaging clients with artistic processing when words alone will not suffice.

Ryan Michael Knapp

Marriage & Family Therapist

Melissa's therapeutic compass is guided by creativity and compassion. If you are looking for change, Melissa's creative spirit and depth of connection will help shine light on ways forward.

James Christensen

Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT

Melissa is full of wisdom, curiosity, courage, and compassion. She approaches therapy with artistic passion and creativity.

Kristen M. VanKlootwyk

Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT, PCC

Melissa brings a wealth of energy and creativity to those who seek to create positive and lasting change in themselves or in their relationships. Her warmth and compassion are evident in her sessions where she creates safety for you to express yourself.

Client Focus

Age

Preteen ,

Teen ,

Adults ,

Elders (65+)

Participants

Individuals ,

Couples ,

Family

Communities

Non-Binary Allied ,

Queer Allied ,

Racial Justice Allied ,

Single Mother

Ethnicity

Other Racial or Ethnic Background

Religion

Christian

Age

Preteen ,

Teen ,

Adults ,

Elders (65+)

Participants

Individuals ,

Couples ,

Family

Communities

Non-Binary Allied ,

Queer Allied ,

Racial Justice Allied ,

Single Mother

Ethnicity

Other Racial or Ethnic Background

Religion

Christian

Treatment Approach

Types of Therapy

Art Therapy
Coaching
Compassion Focused
Culturally Sensitive
Existential
Expressive Arts
Family Systems
Feminist
Integrative
Multicultural
Person-Centered
Psychodynamic
Relational
Somatic
Strength-Based

I like to use art as a way to bridge our head, heart, and body in sessions, helping us access the deepest layers of identity, vulnerability, fear, and desire. I have a broad perspective of what "expressive art" includes, so anything from making TikToks to tarot to VR to gardening to oil painting to motorcycle riding to making a spreadsheet - you name it, we can use it for therapy.

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Location

Primary Location

4047 1st Street

Livermore, CA 94550

(415) 237-4386

Email me

My website

Nearby Areas

Cities

Counties

Zips

Neighborhoods

Now providing in-person art therapy and talk therapy in the Tri-Valley as well as virtual session.

Call for a free consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P

Now providing in-person art therapy and talk therapy in the Tri-Valley as well as virtual session.

Call for a free consultation now - (415) 237-4386

Melissa Gutierrez

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, MFA, APCC, ATR-P