Board of Directors
Melissa J. Hedlund Nelson, Chair & Co-Founder
Dr. Hedlund Nelson is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner©, and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She has a Ph.D. in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy from the Adler School of Professional Psychology. She is past Speaker of the Assembly of Chapters for the American Art Therapy Association and past President of the Illinois Art Therapy Association. She currently practices at Linden Oaks Medical Group, is an Adjunct Professor at Mount Mary University and Teaching Assistant at the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute.
Her professional interests include: furthering the fields of counseling and art therapy through education, research, supervision of counseling students and practicing therapists, and expanding access areas of inclusive counseling and art therapy services. Her clinical approach involves integrating Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Somatic Experiencing© with art therapy and counseling psychology.
She has experience working with diverse populations, diagnoses, and treatment environments. Her expertise involves working with adolescents and adults affected by trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic disorder, substance abuse, and those seeking wellness. Her current research interests include: specific movement sequences in artmaking and their impact on healing, trauma’s interface with the body and the relational healing of insecure and disorganized attachment styles. On the non-clinical end, she has experience in not-for-profit development, leadership, supervision, curriculum development, teaching, grant writing, fund development, program development and research.
Her professional interests include: furthering the fields of counseling and art therapy through education, research, supervision of counseling students and practicing therapists, and expanding access areas of inclusive counseling and art therapy services. Her clinical approach involves integrating Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Somatic Experiencing© with art therapy and counseling psychology.
She has experience working with diverse populations, diagnoses, and treatment environments. Her expertise involves working with adolescents and adults affected by trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic disorder, substance abuse, and those seeking wellness. Her current research interests include: specific movement sequences in artmaking and their impact on healing, trauma’s interface with the body and the relational healing of insecure and disorganized attachment styles. On the non-clinical end, she has experience in not-for-profit development, leadership, supervision, curriculum development, teaching, grant writing, fund development, program development and research.
April S. Hedlund, Treasurer & Co-Founder
April earned her MBA from Southern Illinois University and her MHRM from Keller Graduate School of Management. She currently works at a local university as the Assistant Director of Admissions.
April has taken several courses in Accounting, Finance, Management, and Marketing during her MBA. While obtaining her MHRM, she has taken several courses in Training and Development, Staffing, Managing Organizational Change, Benefits, and Compensation.
With the combination of her educational background and her experience in management, April is very excited about the opportunity to contribute to The Light of The Heart. In her spare time,
April enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
Aubray Mekelberg, Secretary
Aubray Mekelburg, B.A., is a graduate student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse and is currently pursuing her M.Ed. and Ed.S. in the school psychology program. In her current opportunities, she is an RBT, is the philanthropy chair for the School Psychology student organization at TCSPP, and is the room lead in an after-school program, exSEL, through Community Partnerships by TCSPP at Oakley Square teaching social emotional curriculum. She also was awarded the leadership award through the Illinois School Psychology Association through TCSPP for 1st year students.
Aubray has a passion for the psychology field and volunteer work. She is very excited about working with TLOTH board and all those involved!
