Now, Healing Begins
About NHB
Now Healing Begins
Relevant, Insightful, Compassionate
Owner and Founder:
Melanie Melton, MA, LMFT, ThM, M.Div
Hi! Thank you for your interest in Now, Healing Begins. I’d love to share a little about myself, as you learn about our educational, wellness, and supportive services.
From as young as I can remember, I’ve had the desire, compassion, and commitment to walk with people through life’s hard times. This passion was birthed from watching the people in my life endure challenges, but also as I have experienced my own life blows.
Now Healing Begins
These challenges helped me to learn a few key things:
- We all face trauma and life challenges
- No one should have to go through hard times alone
- Best ways to support others as they go through
- Healthy ways of coping with life’s challenges
- How to maintain my relationship with the Lord, in the midst of life’s unexpected blows
- How to not only survive hard times, but heal, flourish– and Be Well-mentally, emotionally, and spiritually
With my forever blossoming passion of helping people through trauma and life’s challenges, I founded Now, Healing Begins, PLLC in 2021. I also offer clergy and church consultation, soul care for clergy, and guest preaching through my separate ministry: https://melaniemelton.com.
My key lessons learned and passion that birthed NHB, came partly through my life experiences, but also through higher education and professional training in the mental health field and Christian ministry.
I have over 20 years of experience as a helping professional, including serving as a Volunteer Crisis Counselor, Hospital Chaplain Intern, Ordained and Associate Minister in a local church, NC Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Published Author, Guest Lecturer, and Workshop Trainer and Facilitator.
I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Community Services from East Carolina University and Master of Marriage Family Therapy degree from Appalachian State University. I also earned my Master of Divinity degree from Shaw University Divinity School and Master of Theology degree from Duke Divinity School.
My research focuses on black women, harmful theology, mental well-being and healing.
It would be my honor to serve your group’s wellness journey.
Be Well,
Melanie
Now Healing Begins
What are a few of our past offerings?
- “Trauma and Pathways Forward,” Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church hosting Eastern NC congregations, Spring 2026
- “’Becoming a Trauma-Informed Congregation,” Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church hosting Eastern NC congregations, Spring 2026
- “Tending to Our Garden: Addressing Trauma, Grief, and Self-Care as Clergy,” Duke Divinity School, 2026
- “Trauma,” Guest Lecture, Duke Divinity School, Spring 2026
- “Unresolved Grief,” Guest Lecture, Duke Divinity School, Spring 2026
- Black Maternal Health & The Black Church: Expanding Bioethics Forum-Centering the Bodies of Black Women in the Black Church, Presenting Panelist, First Calvary Baptist Church, presented by Duke Divinity School, January 2025
- “REST: Self-Care for Clinicians,” Clinicians of Color LLC, September 2024
- “How to Know if I’m Okay: Mentally and Spiritually,” Peace Missionary Baptist Church, September 2024
- “Reclaiming Dinah Bible Study,” All Things in Common: An Act of Deconstruction and Decolonization of Biblical Narratives from a Trauma-Informed Lens, Healthy & Holy Conversations, August 2024
- “Mental Health and Faith Panel,” Women’s Ministry Panelist, Kingdom Missions Church, Inc., 2022
Relevant Publications:
- “Ministry Within Wounds: A Practical Theological Ethic of Congregational Care to Address Maternal Mental Health” in Practicing Theologies of Mental Health Part I: Clergy and Congregations on the Frontlines, Anglican Theological Review2025, Vol. 107(3) 232–244
- “The Psychology of a Wounded Healer: Exploring Key Considerations to Foster Growth and Effectiveness as Black Pastoral Caregivers” in Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry, March 2024, Volume 44, No. 44
- “Helping Black Women Heal through a Womanist Mental Health and Healing Framework,” in Family Therapy Magazine, September/October 2023 Volume 22, No. 5
- “Work, Rest, Play,” in Minority Christian Women Entrepreneurs Network digital publication, May 2023