Meet the Mental Health Team

Melody Cesar

Ms Melody Cesar, BA, MSW, RSW (she/her)

Melody became a Registered Social Worker in 2021 after graduating from the Master of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. Melody has called Treaty Six territy (Edmonton) her home her whole life roots are from Rwanda, Tanzania and Germany. Melody is interested in helping people who are struggling to cope with overwhelming stress and anxiety due to life’s many challenges. Knowing that social interactions are key to overcoming many of the difficulties associated with the human experience, Melody seeks to help individuals approach the broader influences in their lives with a sense of curiosity, and support the development of a greater awareness of our relationship with ourselves, our thoughts, our emotions, and our environments. Melody works with people to empower them to overcome their challenges and build strong relationships with the people in their lives.
 
Melody takes an eclectic approach to counselling that is holistic, person-centered and is strength based. Melody is trained to work with various topics including but not limited to trauma, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. Melody draws from different modalities such as attachment-based therapy, trauma-focused therapies, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy,(DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy, just to name a few.

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Mr Ryan Jacobson, M.Ed., R. Psychologist (he/him)

Since graduating from the U of A (M.Ed, Counselling Psychology) in 2014, Ryan has focused his clinical practice on formal assessment and treatment of various mental health, interpersonal, adjustment and learning-related challenges. He works primarily with adults in outpatient settings, and enjoys the process of connecting and collaborating (co-labouring) with patients to facilitate healing, improve functioning, and promote health and wholeness.

While diverse and integrative in his approach, Ryan primarily utilizes theories and techniques based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

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Ms Sophia Parks, M. Counselling, R. Psychologist (she/her)

Sophia became a Registered Psychologist in 2015. She enjoys working with individuals to address a wide range of issues including: stress, life transitions, anxiety, depression, loss, grief, and trauma. Sophia believes in creating a safe(r) space for her clients to be able to find compassion and a path to understanding how life patterns and environments have helped them flourish or held them back from truly fulfilled living.

She works from an eclectic approach, and is grounded in mindful, body-focused psychotherapy. She also uses the following therapies: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Clinical Hypnosis, and Mindful Self-Compassion.

Issues for which you can access psychological support:

  • Mood disorders (Depression, bipolar disorder, etc.)
  • Anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias
  • Trauma, sexual abuse/assault, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Eating disorders and disordered eating
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Sexual orientation, identity and gender expression
  • Stress management and burnout
  • Critical incidents and vicarious trauma
  • Self-harm and emotion regulation
  • Relationships and family concerns

Treatment Modalities

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Exposure and Response Prevention (EXRP)
  • Prolonged Exposure (PE)
  • Humanistic
  • Mindfulness
  • Gottman method (couples therapy)