Melissa Hill is the founder of St. Charles Advanced Therapy, established in 2016. As a licensed Psychotherapist, Transpersonal Coach, EMDR Specialist, and Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist, she brings a wealth of experience to her practice, serving adolescents, adults, couples, and families since 1992.

Approach to Therapy

Melissa's treatment model is eclectic, though she most often utilizes a psychodynamic approach. This involves delving into unconscious psychological processes, such as wishes and fears, and exploring childhood experiences that shape adult personality. To bring unconscious beliefs to the surface and facilitate positive behavioral change, Melissa incorporates various techniques including EMDR, Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy, Breathwork, Past-Life Regressions, Polyvagal Theory, and Subtle Energy Healing. These tools are particularly effective for clients dealing with addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress-related illnesses.

Background and Experience

Melissa earned her B.S. in Psychology cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1986, where her honors thesis was later published in two psychology journals. She went on to receive her M.S.W. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1992. During her internship at the Institute for Juvenile Research, she was trained in the Internal Family Systems model by its founder, Dick Schwartz. Her career began as an adolescent case coordinator at Linden Oaks Hospital and later included supervising masters-level therapists for a foster care agency contracted by DCFS.

After a 17-year career in financial services, during which she maintained a private practice, Melissa began her training in heart-centered hypnotherapy at the Wellness Institute in Issaquah, Washington, in 2011. She subsequently earned her certificate in transpersonal coaching and PTI Leadership.

Clinical Focus:

• Addiction

• Adolescents

• Complex PTSD

• Couples Therapy

• Emotional Family Focused Therapy

• Trauma

• Women’s Issues

Credentials:

• B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• M.S.W., University of Illinois at Chicago

Personal

An avid pet lover, Melissa enjoys golfing, pickleball, ballroom dancing and horseback riding. She spends her free time volunteering at CASA of Kane County, Samaritan’s Purse and the Anderson Humane Society.

To learn more about Melissa's services, you can contact her at mhill@stcharlesadvancedtherapy.com