Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Scott
Hi Melanie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 45 years of living, it’s this: the more I let go of how I think my life should look, the better it gets.
I like plans. I like knowing what’s next. And yet, again and again, my life has shown me that the real magic lies in the unknown & in embracing the mysteries of the path ahead.
I started on a path of self-reflection some 11 years ago when my marriage ended. It was an absolutely devastating time in my life, and I felt completely lost & alone. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had no sense of where to head next.
I began to seek out meditation classes to calm my nerves and started therapy – for the first time ever – to get some emotional support. I grew up in a family where we didn’t talk about our feelings much, so suddenly finding myself in a therapist’s office crying my eyes out & talking about my mangled heart was not exactly my thing. I didn’t really like it. But I knew I had to trust the process. And trust it, I did.
Soon enough, my divorce was finalized, I was loving therapy, and I was feeling a lot better about myself, my circumstances, and my future.
Before long, I was traveling around the world going to yoga retreats, visiting sacred sites, and coming into my own as an apprentice to a spiritual teacher. All of those journeys and countless flights around the world gave me so much, including a nudge inside my heart to leave my career as a lawyer and dedicate my life’s work and purpose to helping others transform through difficult times, too.
And that’s exactly what I did. I left my 14 year career as a lawyer and dedicated myself to life coaching and, eventually, to therapy. Today, I am a dynamic and thriving therapist in San Diego, and I absolutely love helping others thrive, too. I believe we’re alive to be the best versions of ourselves we can be, and there’s no better way to rise than with the help of a trusted mentor and guide who’s been there, done that. Today, I specialize in helping individuals and couples uplevel their lives in all the ways they desire, one step at a time, just like I did.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been some twists and turns along the way, along with a few very complex detours.
The end of a ten-year relationship certainly stands out as a major one. Making the decision to leave that union was incredibly difficult at the time. And, it led to a whole slew of changes from there, including unwinding my old life, navigating a divorce, and leaving a lot of friendships from that marriage behind.
Another major detour came a few years later when I felt a nudge inside to begin mentoring people who also found themselves in the midst of difficult life transitions. Being a lawyer at the time, I didn’t know what that meant. But soon enough, I found myself obtaining a life coach certification, apprenticing as a coach, and taking on clients, in addition to working my full-time job as an attorney while growing my footprint and identify as a life coach in Los Angeles.
A couple of years later, I made a huge leap when I left my career as an attorney all together and began seeing life coaching clients as my full-time work. That was very scary at the time, but it really felt like the right move.
Another right move came about a year later when I packed up my bags, moved cross country, and started a new chapter in New York City. I knew no one there, but my heart told me I had to be there.
My new chapter in New York turned out to be more of an ending than a beginning. Doors didn’t seem to open there for me, and so, purely at the guidance of my intuition, I packed my bags yet again and moved cross country, this time to San Diego in early 2020, just a few weeks before the Covid-19 shutdowns began. I’ve been in San Diego ever since. My parents’ retired there, and in visiting them, I fell in love with the city. Thanks mom and dad.
And then again, I made yet another pivot when I decided to deepen my investment in mentoring others and become a therapist. I obtained my master’s degree in psychology during the pandemic and began counseling clients as an Associate Marriage & Family therapist, which I absolutely love.
Needless to say, I have evolved and shifted my life in powerful, transformative ways over the last 10 plus years, and I wouldn’t trade the ups and downs for anything in the world.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Melanie is a registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist. She works with both individuals and couple’s in Encinitas.
She provides her clients with an opportunity to be seen, heard, and celebrated for who they are, while partnering with them as they lean into all that they wish to become next. Her intuitive approach goes beyond the head, opening pathways for clients to dive into unknown parts of themselves — for a deeper sense of alignment and aliveness.
Her directive, non-nonsense style of therapy sheds light on patterns & conditioning which are outdated so that freer ways of being can emerge, at last.
She specializes in helping her clients through relationship challenges while encouraging their development of healthier communication skills, emotional savviness & deeper intimacy.
Melanie also spent 14 years in a prior career counseling clients on a variety of legal matters as a litigation attorney for the world’s biggest law firm in both Los Angeles and New York City, as well as the United States Department of Justice in Los Angeles.
Melanie holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University, and a juris doctorate from Southwestern Law School.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My first therapist, Victoria Allen. She taught me to gain self-awareness and look inward for the first time in my life.
My shadow work teacher, Robert Master’s. He taught me to own my voice in new, deeply profound ways.
My relationship & intimacy teacher, John Wineland. He opened my eyes to how to create intimacy in relationships and express the depths of my heart.
My first supervisor as a therapist trainee, Liza Bolanos. She helped me transition from a student to a clinician with grace and ease.
Pricing:
- $175-$225 for individual & couple’s sessions
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @melaniecathleenscott
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/melanie-cathleen-scott-solana-beach-ca/1206883
