Melissa Lillie, LCSW (she/her)

At the heart of Melissa Lillie’s work is a deep commitment to helping individuals reclaim their lives from patterns that feel overwhelming, exhausting, or out of their control. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she offers compassionate, evidence-based care that supports meaningful and lasting change across the lifespan.

Melissa earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Calgary and completed her undergraduate studies at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. With over a decade of experience across hospital and private practice settings, she brings both clinical depth and relational warmth to her work. Her approach is grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and respect for each person’s unique experience, helping clients build skills while also fostering a more compassionate relationship with themselves.

Melissa specializes in working with anxiety and related conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body-focused repetitive behaviors (such as skin picking and hair pulling), panic, perfectionism, and tic disorders, including Tourette Syndrome. She is extensively trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT), Habit Reversal Training (HRT), and Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT). She works with all subtypes of OCD, supporting individuals in navigating intrusive thoughts and fears with increased flexibility, resilience, and self-trust.

With lived experience of OCD, Melissa brings a depth of empathy and understanding to her work, particularly around the shame, frustration, and isolation that can accompany these experiences. She is also experienced in working with Autistic individuals and is an LGBTQIA+ affirming provider.

In addition to traditional psychotherapy, Melissa is trained in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and offers both individual and group-based support, including psychoeducational and mindfulness-based groups focused on anxiety and OCD.

Outside of her clinical work, Melissa finds nourishment in the natural world. She enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, gardening, and traveling—drawn to experiences that invite growth, curiosity, and connection, values that continue to shape her work as a therapist.