08/13/2026
🧠 Prioritizing whole-person care and breaking ground in healthcare! For our next IMPACT Learning spotlight, we are checking in with Melanie F. ’29 and her eye-opening internship at Abelard Psychotherapy, Inc.! 🏥✨
Founded in 2007 to bridge critical gaps in psychiatric care, Abelard Psychotherapy provides counseling, medication management, and specialized in-home therapy with a mission to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms.
Melanie had the incredible privilege of working alongside and assisting the practice's founder and CEO, Dr. Gabrielle Abelard who holds a doctorate in Nurse Practice, and is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse – Board Certified, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, and a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Over her internship, Melanie dove deep into clinical research, studying various diagnoses, medications, gender bias in healthcare, and racial disparities in medicine. 📚💡
She even completed training in HIPAA, cybersecurity, and workplace safety, shadowed sessions to observe how therapists build rapport and lead positive, client-centered care.
Dr. Abelard shared these empowering words of wisdom for anyone exploring their future:
"Find a mentor, ask questions, and dream big."
Through shadowing, Melanie gained a profound new perspective on health, realizing that mental healthcare is just as vital as physical healthcare and that there is always so much more to a person than a diagnosis.
Reflecting on her biggest personal growth moment during IMPACT, Melanie shared:
"The most important thing I learned is the importance of communication and asking questions. I had to advocate for myself... and that showed me that it never hurts to ask."
Whether Melanie chooses to pursue mental healthcare, physical medicine as a doctor or surgeon, or another path entirely, this hands-on experience gave her an invaluable foundation for the future. We are so proud of your curiosity, advocacy, and dedication, Melanie! 👏
