Our Story

How it all started.

The Vine Christian Counseling started as a sole practice under Dr. Melissa Anne Hathaway, who had a passion to help others find freedom from all forms of afflictions and mental health issues.  Melissa is no stranger to suffering as she has fought through many trials in her life and discovered that there was one source of hope that could heal her, and it was the Love of God that brought her freedom.  Melissa uses her own life experiences, the word of God, and her professional educational tools to help people find freedom physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  Melissa wants people to know that they are loved by a very powerful God whose Holy Spirit is able to pierce through the darkness and break people out of bondage.

  • The Vine Christian Counseling started as a sole practice under Dr. Melissa Anne Hathaway, who had a passion to help others find freedom from all forms of afflictions and mental health issues.  Melissa is no stranger to suffering as she has fought through many trials in her life and discovered that there was one source of hope that could heal her, and it was the Love of God that brought her freedom.  Melissa uses her own life experiences, the word of God, and her professional educational tools to help people find freedom physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  Melissa wants people to know that they are loved by a very powerful God whose Holy Spirit is able to pierce through the darkness and break people out of bondage.

    Melissa believes that when a person is loved, accepted, and able to share about their pain in a safe place, that change can occur.  Melissa believes that if the Bible is interpreted properly, it can set people free and bring healing.  As people began pouring in for help, it quickly became clear that God was calling Melissa to begin a practice where other professional counselors as well as student counselors could come on board under her supervision to help more in need.

  • At The Vine Christian Counseling we believe that God is good, and He has not forsaken us. We see the pain that our world is going through, and our desire is to help people find freedom from anxiety, fear, addictions of all forms, anger, trauma, and relationship difficulties to name a few. We want those who are suffering with loss, grief, and broken hearts to know they have a place to come and talk it out and see what solutions work best to help you get through the challenges of life.

  • If you are a Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker looking to join me in helping our growing number of clients, The Vine Christian Counseling may be a good fit for you. This is a fee for service flat rate position that pays well and offers supervision. You will be provided all the tools needed to help you operate your practice. All credentialing is done for you under The Vine Christian Counseling along with billing.

    You will be required to use our electronic health record system to document sessions, book appointments, and see people through telehealth. The use of electronic records is important to ensure HIPAA compliance and aids proper billing and payouts for services.

    If you are interested please email: melissa@thevinechristiancounseling@gmail.com

  • If you are a student working toward obtaining your license as a professional counselor, feel free to reach out as we can help you achieve your goals and you will be paid for your work.

    All correspondence related to job opportunities along with your resume, can be sent to: melissa@thevinechristiancounseling@gmail.com

Freedom is possible and I want to help you get there.

Image of Dr. Melissa A. Hathaway

Meet Our Founder and CEO.

Dr. Melissa A Hathaway
PhD, LMHC, Founder and CEO.

Dr. Melissa Anne Hathaway is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has a Ph.D. in psychology.  She has a passion to use God’s word to help others be set free and to empower others to know their God-given gifts which can be used to help themselves and others.

Melissa grew up in Massachusetts and has 4 children.  Melissa had a difficult life but she often says, “what the devil meant to harm me with, God used to arm me with.” It’s her experiences in life that have given her the tools she needs to help others.

Melissa married the love of her life Scott Hathaway on October 3, 1998.  Their love was unique as Scott was not only her best friend but also one of her biggest encouragers to never give up. Sadly, Melissa and Scott both got colon cancer in 2016 and Scott passed away on September 4, 2018.  Scott is missed greatly as she still calls him her Forever man.

Melissa believes that she is alive today because God wants her to help others find freedom through difficulties and that no matter what they face in life, they can overcome through the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in their lives. This is a different kind of counseling that uses traditional therapeutic methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy but with a Biblical approach.