Melissa
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE (she, her)
Verified by Psychology Today Verified by Psychology Today
2 Endorsed
Let's Connect (347) 652-2427
When chronic illness enters a relationship, stressors become magnified. You may find yourselves stuck in a familiar cycle—pursue/withdraw, escalation/shutdown, resentment/silence—while both of you work hard not to be “too much.” In our work we slow the pattern down and shift back into adult-to-adult: truth-telling, clear requests, love + limits, and repair that sticks. We name losing strategies, practice new moves in session, and make a plan for hard moments—so illness doesn’t become the third partner in the room. We also build language for capacity, so needs don’t go unspoken and resentment doesn’t grow in the gaps.
I’m a Certified Relational Life Therapist, Certified Grief Educator, & trained in Contemplative Psychotherapy, ACT, & Integrative Mental Health. I use these tools to help you navigate chronic illness in life and relationships—shift into adult-to-adult communication, set loving limits, and practice repair that holds under stress.
When stress is high, couples slip into patterns that feel impossible to change. That doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means the system is overloaded. We can find the cycle and practice repair. Book a free 30-minute initial phone consult to see if this work feels right for you.
Call or Email Melissa Kester now for a free 15 minute consultation - (347) 652-2427
Let's Connect (347) 652-2427
Finances
Fees
- Individual Sessions $275
- Couple Sessions $300
- Sliding scale: apply if you may be eligible
Payment Methods
American Express, Discover, Health Savings Account, Mastercard, VisaInsurance
- Out of Network
Melissa Kester
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE
Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (347) 652-2427
Qualifications
- Verified by Psychology Today Licensed by State of New York / 000733 Melissa Kester
- Attended Hofstra University, Graduated 2005
- Certificate from Evergreen Certification 285846 / 2025
- Certificate from Relational Life Institute 2025
Education and Years In Practice
Additional Credentials
Melissa Kester
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE
Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (347) 652-2427
Specialties and Expertise
Top Specialties
- Chronic Illness
- Relationship Issues
- ADHD
Expertise
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Bisexual
- Cancer
- Caregivers
- Depression
- Grief
- Lesbian
- LGBTQ+
- Life Transitions
- Marital and Premarital
- Men's Issues
- Mood Disorders
- Narcissistic Personality (NPD)
- Parenting
- Peer Relationships
- Self Esteem
- Sleep or Insomnia
- Stress
- Trauma and PTSD
- Women's Issues
Melissa Kester
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE
Do these issues align with your needs? Email or (347) 652-2427
2 Endorsements
Client Focus
Age
Adults ,
Elders (65+)
Participants
Individuals ,
Couples
Communities
Aviation Professionals ,
Bisexual Allied ,
Blind Allied ,
Gay Allied ,
HIV / AIDS Allied ,
Immuno-disorders ,
Intersex Allied ,
Lesbian Allied ,
Non-Binary Allied ,
Queer Allied ,
Sex Worker Allied ,
Single Parent
Age
Adults ,
Elders (65+)
Participants
Individuals ,
Couples
Communities
Aviation Professionals ,
Bisexual Allied ,
Blind Allied ,
Gay Allied ,
HIV / AIDS Allied ,
Immuno-disorders ,
Intersex Allied ,
Lesbian Allied ,
Non-Binary Allied ,
Queer Allied ,
Sex Worker Allied ,
Single Parent
Treatment Approach
Types of Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
- Attachment-based
- Contemplative Psychotherapy
- Family / Marital
- Gestalt
- Gottman Method
- Imago
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Jungian
- Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)
- Psychodynamic
- Relational
- Relational Life Therapy
- Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
- Strength-Based
Melissa Kester
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE
Call or Email me for a free 15 minute consultation now - (347) 652-2427
Location
Additional Location
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(347) 652-2427Nearby Areas
Cities
Melissa Kester
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, CRLT, CGE
Call for a free consultation now - (347) 652-2427