Dr. Mel Whalen
"You do not have to have it figured out to begin. That is what we are here for."
PhD, LP · Licensed Psychologist · MI, TX, NY
Culturally Deaf, nonbinary psychologist with over 14 years of clinical experience. I built Forest Ferns because the therapy world needed a practice designed from the ground up for people who live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities — and I happen to be one of them.
At a Glance
Why I built this practice
Before I was a psychologist, I was an academic and an advocate. My doctoral research focused on transgender identity development, and I have worked heavily with the trans and genderfluid communities throughout my career. That work taught me something I carry into everything I do now: the people who need the most from therapy are often the ones the therapy world was least designed to serve.
Forest Ferns exists to change that equation. Every clinician I've brought onto this team is a second-act professional — someone who lived a full life before entering this field. We're not reading about marginalization from a textbook. We've navigated it.
Who I work with
I approach my work from a social justice framework and specialize in working with clients from diverse and multiply-marginalized backgrounds. This includes people living with chronic illness or disability, Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and families across language modalities, LGBTQ+ and nonbinary clients, parents of Deaf children, CODAs, and mixed Deaf-hearing families.
I also work extensively with neurodivergent, gifted, and immigrant clients — and with other therapists seeking their own support, because clinicians deserve care that understands what the work costs.
How I work
My clinical approach is integrative and trauma-informed. I draw from Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), humanistic and narrative therapy, and practical problem-solving. I attend to both body and story — because lasting change requires emotional processing, nervous system regulation, and meaning-making to work together.
I provide therapy directly in American Sign Language — no interpreter needed. I also work with hearing clients in spoken English, and can accommodate written and chat-based communication in sessions. Whatever your preferred mode, we'll make it work.
I also provide clinical supervision for therapists working toward licensure, and consultation for clinicians and organizations seeking to better serve Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients.
A growing team. A growing reach. One very clear mission.
The Practice
Forest Ferns is grounded in a social justice framework and shaped by deep respect for lived experience. We understand that the world is not designed equally for everyone — and that healing does not happen in a vacuum.
We work with clients navigating chronic illness, disability, identity-related stress, complex trauma, neurodivergence, immigration, and the particular exhaustion of being a minority in a world that rarely makes space for you.
You do not have to have it figured out to begin. That is what we are here for.
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Specialties
- Complex & developmental trauma
- LGBTQ+ identity & relationships
- Deaf & HoH mental health
- Chronic illness & disability
- Neurodivergence & giftedness
- Immigration & cultural transition
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Modalities
- Somatic Experiencing
- EMDR
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Humanistic & narrative therapy
- Practical problem-solving
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Insurance & Access
- BCBS & Blue Care Network
- Aetna
- Priority Health
- Private pay
- Telehealth in MI, TX, NY
- In-person: Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti
- ASL, English, text/chat
Work with our team
If you're looking for a therapist, we'll match you with the clinician on our team who's the best fit for your needs, schedule, and communication preferences. Text us or fill out our request form — no phone calls needed. Please tell us your insurance so we can verify your benefits before your first session.