26 April 25 • 2019
jn
W
hen Dr. Melanie Schwartz
decided to open her own prac-
tice, she wanted to create a
holistic approach to mental health treat-
ment that incorporated health and well-
ness, including yoga.
Three years later, Viewpoint
Psychology and Wellness, with offices
in Commerce Township and now West
Bloomfield, offers just that with a staff
of experienced licensed psychologists,
limited license psychologists, licensed
professional counselors, licensed
master social workers and three
psychiatric nurse practitioners.
Viewpoint provides psychological
and psychiatric services, such as
therapy and counseling, psychological
assessment, diagnosis and testing
and medication management — all
within a health and wellness-based
model, either in person or through
Viewpoint’s professional teletherapy
services.
“We’ve accomplished what we set
out to do,” Schwartz said, “which
was to have an impact on the growing
mental health issues of our patients.”
The West Bloomfield office opened
in March. The two offices have
more than 20 therapists on staff to
treat everything from anxiety and
depression, substance abuse, grief
and loss, eating disorders, ADHD
and learning disorders, mood
disorders, couples counseling and
family therapy. “We’re full service,”
Schwartz said. “We accept many
major insurances, and our patients
don’t have to go anywhere else for
medication management since we have
a prescriber on staff.”
Schwartz, 41, grew up in Farmington
Hills attending Adat Shalom
Synagogue. She went to Michigan
State University for undergraduate
work and then to the Illinois School
of Professional Psychology in Chicago
where she received her doctorate in
psychology and a master’s degree
in clinical psychology. She spent
the following 18 years working and
training in a variety of clinical settings.
In 2007, she returned to Michigan from
Chicago to be closer to family.
Schwartz specializes in
adolescents, adults, families and
couples. “I work with a lot of kids
with high anxiety,” she said.
Part of that anxiety is the result
of the world we live in. “It’s not
that it’s more dangerous,” she
said. “It’s that we know more
about the danger. You can’t turn
on your computer or the TV or
without reading about something
devastating. That in and of itself is
going to increase anxiety.”
She also lays the blame on
society’s quest for never-ending
achievement. “People believe that
in order to be successful, you have
to do and be everything. That’s
the message we’re sending kids.
You have to be the best. You have
to get the grades. You have to get
into the best college. That’s the
wrong message. As a result, it’s
creating increased depression and
anxiety because those goals are
unattainable.”
Schwartz likes to take a holistic
approach to helping patients.
“When people are out of balance,
it creates anxiety and depression. I
ask patients to think about exercise,
nutrition and getting enough sleep,
and I help them integrate that into
their already over-scheduled lives.”
Schwartz is married with two
boys, ages 5 and 7, and attends
Temple Israel, where her youngest
son is in preschool. Her older son
attends Hillel Day School, where
she and her husband are involved
in activities.
“Judaism has taught me to be
very open minded and accepting
of everybody and has helped me
gain an understanding of what
other people are experiencing,”
she said. “Everybody’s dealing
with something, and my job is to
help them understand that and
help them work through it while
being open and understanding,”
she said.
Holistic Mental Health
Viewpoint Psychology and Wellness now open in West Bloomfield.
ABOVE: Dr. Melanie Schwartz
— ADVERTORIAL —
Viewpoint Psychology
and Wellness
2075 E. West Maple
Suite B-208
Commerce Township, MI 48390
2071 E. West Maple
Suite E-504
Commerce, MI 48390
7035 Orchard Lake Road
Suite 800
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
(248) 669-9500
viewpointpw.com
PHOTO (Credit: jerry Zolynsky)