About Me

A woman with long reddish-brown hair and light makeup, wearing a white and black patterned blouse, smiling softly outdoors with greenery in the background.

Melissa Bleiler, MS, LMFT, LPC

I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin, where I was born and raised. I currently see clients online only from my private practice, Opus Therapy. I have special interests in relationships, sex issues, and trauma. All of these issues have such deep and complex impacts on our sense of self and what we are capable of. We often fight against that which makes us feel limited, and I invite you to be curious about those experiences and attachments, and see if there is a new story waiting to emerge.

In addition to traditional talk therapy, I enjoy pulling metaphors from some of my passions, including pets, gardening, baking, and gaming (I’m an old-school Dungeons and Dragons nerd and enjoy learning other TTRPGs).

LICENSES

·       Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (WI) – 124-1276

·       Licensed Professional Counselor (WI) – 125-7434

CERTIFICATIONS                                               

  • EMDR Certified

  • IFS Level 1 (IFS Institute)

  • Integrative Sex and Couples Certification Training with Tammy Nelson

  • Prepare-Enrich Facilitator

  • QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainer

 

EDUCATION 

University of Wisconsin – Whitewater: Master of Science, Clinical Mental Health Counseling            

 

LEADERSHIP

American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy                                

  • Chair Elect (2018-2020) of Wisconsin Geographical Interest Network

  • WAMFT board member at large (2017-2018)    

  • Student and Emerging Professionals Director, Wisconsin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT) (2014-2017)                                    

  • Certificate in Leadership


Adjunct Professor, UW-Whitewater Counselor Education (Masters)

Special Topic: LGBTQ+ Counseling

Special Topic: Sexuality

PRESENTATIONS

Suicide in Cultural Minorities: Why Coherence Matters   
Now is the Time Conference, UW-Whitewater

 Now Is the Time to Address Suicide in Schools: What Needs to Change
Now is the Time Conference, UW-Whitewater

Seeking Light in the Darkness: Clinicians Affected by Client Suicide  
National Association of Social Work-WI Conference

QPR Train-the-Trainer with West Allis School District    
2-day suicide prevention with QPR training for peer leadership

Couples Therapy           
2-hour training for counseling trainees

Ethical Nonmonogamy and Alternative Sexualities      
2-hour training for counseling trainees

Counseling Supervision           
2-hour training for counseling trainees