Megan Fairbanks
Oakland,CA
Summary
Marriage and Family Therapy Trainee with experience across Residential Treatment (RTC), Partial Hospitalization (PHP), and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care, as well as school-based, reproductive health, and community-based recovery settings. Supports adolescents and adults navigating eating disorders (ED), substance use disorders (SUD), and co-occurring mental health conditions through trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and evidence-based care. Collaborates closely with families and multidisciplinary teams to promote continuity of care and sustainable recovery. Committed to compassionate, ethical, and client-centered practice that fosters meaningful relational growth.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Marriage and Family Therapy Intern
LifeLong: Project Pride
Oakland, CA
09.2025 - Current
- Deliver individual and group psychotherapy within a residential dual diagnosis (SUD and co-occurring disorders) treatment program for pregnant and parenting women.
- Provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive care using DBT, CBT, ACT, MI, and other evidence-based therapeutic frameworks.
- As a registered SUD counselor (CADTP), support clients in relapse prevention planning, recovery skill-building, and long-term sobriety maintenance.
- Conduct assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, and collaborate with multidisciplinary staff to promote family stability and sustained recovery.
- Integrate case management services by connecting residents to community resources to promote stability and successful reintegration.
- Facilitate psychoeducational and process groups focused on emotional regulation, parenting development, healthy relationships, and substance use recovery within a therapeutic community model.
Recovery Coach
Koplin Consulting
Bay Area
11.2025 - Current
- Provide individualized recovery coaching for clients experiencing eating disorders, co-occurring mental health challenges, and substance use disorders, within real-life environments.
- Work from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive framework that centers client autonomy while offering structured guidance and accountability.
- Offer real-time support with emotional regulation, trigger awareness, and skill application, reinforcing treatment goals established by the client and their clinical team.
- Assist clients in building daily structure, developing sustainable routines, pursuing educational or vocational goals, and strengthening supportive relationships.
- Facilitate collaborative family communication and coordinate with multidisciplinary providers to ensure aligned, client-led recovery support.
Behavioral Health Trainee
Planned Parenthood NorCal
SF & Richmond, CA
09.2024 - 05.2025
- Provided in-person emotional support to patients during medical appointments and delivered low-cost, ongoing individual therapy services.
- Conducted comprehensive intake assessments, developed individualized treatment plans, and maintained timely and accurate clinical documentation in EPIC.
- Assessed patient needs and coordinated referrals to community mental health providers and social service resources throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
- Collaborated closely with medical and administrative staff to execute warm hand-offs and ensure continuity of care.
- Participated in weekly individual and group supervision to support ethical practice and effective caseload management, while completing ongoing training in gender-affirming care, intimate partner violence, reproductive health, options counseling, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and other evidence-based therapeutic frameworks.
Counselor III
Center For Discovery
Pleasanton, CA
12.2020 - 12.2023
- Provided therapeutic support to adolescent and adult patients in eating disorder recovery at the Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care.
- Developed and facilitated psychoeducational and process-oriented groups utilizing evidence-based modalities including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and relapse prevention frameworks.
- Facilitated exposure and response prevention (ERP)-informed meal support to strengthen distress tolerance and recovery-oriented eating behaviors.
- Implemented milieu-based interventions and responded to acute clinical presentations, including significant emotional dysregulation and suicide risk, following established safety protocols.
- Collaborated closely with families and support systems to enhance treatment engagement and continuity of care.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team members, including therapists and registered dietitians, to develop and implement individualized treatment plans.
- Maintained thorough, timely clinical documentation in compliance with program and regulatory standards.
Mental Health Counselor
Seneca Family of Agencies
Berkeley, CA
02.2019 - 06.2020
- Provided school-based mental health services within Berkeley Public Schools to middle and high school students experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges.
- Delivered individual supportive counseling, crisis intervention, and skills-based mentoring to promote emotional regulation, academic engagement, and social functioning.
- Collaborated with families and caregivers to reinforce strengths, improve communication, and support continuity of care.
- Designed and facilitated psychoeducational activities integrating academic support, coping skills development, and social-emotional learning.
- Conducted risk assessments and implemented safety interventions during crisis situations, including acute emotional dysregulation and peer conflict.
- Partnered with therapists, educators, and multidisciplinary staff to create structured, trauma-informed learning environments that foster positive relationship development.
- Maintained timely and accurate documentation in accordance with school and clinical standards.
Education
Master of Science - Marriage, Family, And Child Counseling
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA05-2026
Bachelor of Arts - English, Gender Studies Minor
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA06-2018
Skills
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
- Harm Reduction & Relapse Prevention
- Suicide Risk Assessment, Safety Planning & Crisis Stabilization
- Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Assessment & Safety Planning
- Gender- & Queer-Affirming Care
- Family Psychoeducation & Collaboration
- Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning & Care Coordination
- Clinical Documentation (EPIC, Clinicians Gateway)
- Case Management & Community Resource Linkage
Certification
Substance Use Disorder Registered Counselor (SUDRC) – Registered through the California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP)
Timeline
Recovery Coach
Koplin Consulting
11.2025 - Current
Marriage and Family Therapy Intern
LifeLong: Project Pride
09.2025 - Current
Behavioral Health Trainee
Planned Parenthood NorCal
09.2024 - 05.2025
Counselor III
Center For Discovery
12.2020 - 12.2023
Mental Health Counselor
Seneca Family of Agencies
02.2019 - 06.2020
Master of Science - Marriage, Family, And Child Counseling
San Francisco State University
Bachelor of Arts - English, Gender Studies Minor
California Polytechnic State University