We are facing stressors today that were unheard of twenty years ago:

from post-pandemic recovery to the perils of social media, from fears about community violence to questions about artificial intelligence, from having too few people in the workplace to having too many mental health challenges at home. Life feels really hard.

Here’s where Dr. Mork comes in: while her story includes being orphaned in college, homeless in Los Angeles as a young adult, and widowed with two children to raise alone, her approach to speaking involves sound, evidence-based solutions that worked for her in her own resilience. With her doctorate in clinical and forensic psychology and professor of counseling (as well as holding a certification in the therapeutic benefits of laughter and play), she uses her years of expertise in resilience and adversity, and a fairly healthy sense of humor, to move audiences from feeling stuck to feeling empowered – at work and in life – with hope, resilience, and purpose.

Dr. Melissa Mork is a tenured Professor of Clinical and Forensic Psychology for the Department of Psychology, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement at the University of Northwestern. She is  the Founder and CEO of Mental Health Matters, LLC. She is a celebrated international speaker, psychotherapist, coach, and a Certified Humor Professional (CHP), the author of the book, “Bounce: From surviving to thriving through loss,” author of a chapter called “Laughter at a Funeral” for “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving, Loss, and Healing,” and host of the podcast, “Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork.”

Her hobbies include SCUBA diving, throwing ugly pottery, and laughing at her own jokes.