Trainer Biography
Melanie Gibbons, MA, LAC
Melanie Gibbons, MA, LAC earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. She is a Licensed Associate Counselor with over 10 years of experience in the mental health field. Melanie is an adjunct professor at Peirce College in Philadelphia, PA teaching courses on substance abuse treatment and trends and advanced counseling skills. She currently works at a substance abuse treatment center in southern New Jersey but has worked with populations including women and children survivors of domestic violence and adults with advanced illness who would benefit from advanced care planning services. Melanie’s current focus is with individuals battling substance abuse disorder and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, paying particular attention to the disparities and unique challenges of African American men and women dealing with both.
Melanie became a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2017. She has substantial training experience leading groups of individuals who want to learn the basics of Motivational Interviewing (MI) up to advanced MI courses. Melanie led a virtual “MI for Leaders” training last year for supervisors and managers within the NYC public school district who wanted to learn how to incorporate MI skills into their interactions with their staff. She has supervised, coached, and trained dozens of mental health professionals on their MI skills and development. Melanie presented the coaching program she created for the supervisors of her organization at the MINT Forum in New Orleans in 2018. She is active in professional organizations focused on mental health and recovery from substance abuse.