Melinda Boonstra joins PeaceHealth as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with more than a decade of experience in medical, mental health, chemical dependency and child and family welfare. Melinda comes to PeaceHealth most recently from Skagit Regional Hospital where she served as a medical social worker. Her expertise includes mental health counseling, application of the Solution Based Casework Model, assessment of children, family and community needs and assessment for suicide risk, chemical dependency and other behavioral health concerns. Melinda shares, “I want patients to be able to access the mental healthcare they need to improve their symptoms before the get to a point of crisis…People are complex beings with biological, psychological, social and spiritual needs. I find the most joy in my work when I am able to connect the dots of a complex situation as an important part of a multi-disciplinary team and support patients in meeting their goals.” Outside of the clinical setting, Melinda enjoys being in the outdoors with her family be it camping, biking or hiking. She and her family enjoy getting together with others sharing meals or playing games. Melinda additionally enjoys playing the piano, swimming and watercolor painting. Melinda met her husband on the track team in college, and they have three children.