Hi, I'm Melissa Kaekel, a licensed mental health counselor, author, speaker, and enthusiastic collector of questions that don't have simple answers. By day, I help people navigate anxiety, burnout, grief, trauma, ADHD, life transitions, and the occas...

Hi, I'm Melissa Kaekel, a licensed mental health counselor, author, speaker, and enthusiastic collector of questions that don't have simple answers. By day, I help people navigate anxiety, burnout, grief, trauma, ADHD, life transitions, and the occasional "everything is technically fine but I am one inconvenience away from moving into the woods" season of life. By night, I write books, create trainings, develop new therapy ideas, and occasionally become far too invested in topics like whether Devin was the real Scranton Strangler. I'm fascinated by human behavior. Why do people go to water when life falls apart? Why do adults stop playing? Why does everyone think their family is the weird one? Why does no one think their family is the weird one? Why do we keep the broken gravy boat? My work explores mental health, ethics, grief, resilience, nature, storytelling, and the surprisingly deep psychology hiding inside everyday experiences. I believe some of life's biggest lessons can be found in places most people overlook: a board game, a shoreline, an old oak tree, a family argument, a dog who has appointed itself Director of Household Security, or a sitcom episode you've watched twenty times. I'm currently developing the WATER Framework, an approach that explores the relationship between water, environment, and emotional wellbeing. I'm also working on a graduate ethics casebook built around what I call serialized ethical realism, where ethical dilemmas unfold over time, new information changes everything, and nobody gets a neat ending wrapped in a bow. When I'm not counseling, writing, or speaking, you'll usually find me reading science fiction, hunting for treasures in thrift stores, photographing birds, plotting future adventures in Michigan forests, or trying to convince people that adults desperately need recess. Some of my favorite conversation topics include: • Why humans are drawn to lakes, rivers, and oceans • Anxiety, burnout, and brains that won't shut up • Grief, loss, and rebuilding life after heartbreak • Ethics and the complicated situations helping professionals face • The psychology of games, play, and fun • ADHD and creative thinking • The Office, especially David Wallace (Dude I'd Like Funding From) • Stephen King • Dungeon Crawler Carl • Why tiaras remain an underutilized professional accessory I love conversations that combine curiosity, humor, practical insight, and the occasional unexpected detour. If your audience enjoys big questions, human stories, and exploring why people do the wonderfully strange things they do, we'll probably have a great time.