Elizabeth "Elspeth" Mellin (she/her), PhD, LMHC, LPC, ACS

I'm a lesbian therapist. I work mostly with older adults and caregivers, and a lot of my clients are LGBTQ+, though the practice is open to anyone. People come to me dealing with chronic illness, grief, loneliness, caregiving, all the stuff that comes with getting older, including that feeling of becoming invisible. I get what a lot of LGBTQ+ elders have been through. Being told something was wrong with you. Losing people during the AIDS crisis. Building a chosen family because your own wasn't safe or accepting. I don't think that needs much more explanation than that. That said, being LGBTQ+ is just one part of a person. We might end up talking about relationships, family, health, sex, joy, or whatever else is going on. The name Middle Way comes from a Buddhist idea, finding a way between extremes. That fits aging pretty well, I think. You're often holding two things at once: accepting what's changed while still asking what's possible, grieving what's gone while noticing what's still here, wanting to stay independent while needing people more than you used to. For caregivers, it's caring for someone else while trying to remember to take care of yourself too. There aren't always good answers to any of this, and that's okay. Sometimes you just need to be seen and listened to. Everyone comes to therapy at all different points. Maybe retirement didn't feel as free as you thought. Maybe your body isn't doing what it used to. Or life has gotten quieter after a loss. You're lonelier than you thought you'd be. Or you're worn out from caregiving. Some people have done therapy before and it helped. Others tried it and it didn't go anywhere, or they've just never been sure it was for them. All of that makes sense. The first few sessions are really just about getting to know each other and seeing if it feels like a good fit. To make therapy financially accessible, I am fully in-network with Traditional Medicare Part B and Aetna Medicare Advantage plans. I keep my caseload small so I can actually be present with the people I see. We'll talk about what's going on, figure out what might help, and go at whatever pace makes sense. There's no timeline you're supposed to keep. If you have questions, call or text, you don't need to have anything figured out before reaching out.