Melisa Nohadani-Rafie
Clinical Psychologist & Non-medical Practitioner for Psychotherapy
In our work together we explore that which keeps you stuck through a blend of psychoanalytic, humanistic and mindfulness-based approaches.
I specialise in:
About me
I’m Melisa, German-raised with Armenian and Iranian roots, and I studied Psychology in Amsterdam, an international city that taught me both the gifts and the aches of living abroad. There, I deepened a steady meditation practice and learned about the powers of our mind within and beyond lecture halls.
Through friends I discovered icebathing and the Wim Hof Method which lead me to researching the psychology of ice baths, breathwork, and meditation alongside Wim Hof. Here, I deepened my understanding of the mind-body connection and how much influence we actually have on our own wellbeing. Later on, I returned to Germany for a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with a psychoanalytic orientation. I was mesmerized by theories of our unconscious mind and how much our unconscious influences our day to day life. With the curiosity that woke up within me, I ran a study in New York City with the American Psychoanalytic Association on how meditation shapes therapists’ clinical work in spring 2025.
Grounded in my own experience of meditation and breathwork, my approach blends Eastern philosophy with Western psychology. With warm compassion and curiosity cultivated through my own practices, I readily hold a safe space for you to explore yourself with compassion and a curious mind. Our work together is a journey of reconnecting to an authentic, gentle strength within, that allows you to show up more authentically and alive in this world.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
What we focus on in treatment is to cultivate a compassionate relationship to yourself, which allows all feelings to come to surface. We explore your shadows, such as self-harming patterns, emotions that are fearfully avoided, or ruminations. We dive into topics that are less comfortable in a safe space, and take a closer look to what hides underneath them. Once we shine light upon our shadows, we do not need to cling to them anymore, and can live on more freely and lively.
My techniques are drawn from classical psychoanalysis, such as dream work and free association, person-centered therapy as well as Mindfulness Therapy. This blend of techniques allows us to dive into topics of the past that still hold a grip on you, such as your childhood, and come back to the present moment for integration and release.
Experience
Private Practice Psychological Counseling (2025) Research Stay (Psychoanalysis and Meditation) in New York City at the American Psychoanalytic Association (April -July 2025) Psychologist at IPU outpatient clinic Berlin - intern (2024-2025) Research Assistant at International Psychoanalytic University Berlin (2024) Project Manager and Counselor for Aktion gegen den Hunger (2023) Project Manager and Counselor for Amnesty International Germany (2019-2022)
Education
Training in Internal Family Sytems (IFS) Therapy through Richard Schwartz (2025) M.A. Clinical Psychology International Psychoanalytic University (2023-2025) Mandala Method Certification (Level 1) - Tibetan Buddhist Visualization Technique (2025) Psychological Research Assistent Innerfire (Wim Hof Method) (2022-2023) B.Sc. Psychology Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2019-2022)
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Insurances
