In 2015, Melissa DaSilva, LICSW, launched her mental health agency with a deep passion for serving her community. Her goal was clear: to provide therapy to as many people as possible. However, as her practice grew, so did the challenges of running a business. Despite a growing client base, Melissa faced the harsh reality that she wasn’t making a profit and even struggled to pay herself.

It was a turning point when she realized that while social work school had prepared her to be an exceptional therapist, it hadn’t equipped her with the skills to successfully manage a private practice. The key to a thriving practice, she discovered, wasn’t just great therapy—it was building a knowledgeable team that could handle the business side of things.

Driven by her own journey, Melissa is now on a mission to help other private practice therapists avoid the same struggles. She founded Assistant to the Therapist, partnering with her first virtual assistant, Kim, to simplify the search for skilled, dedicated support. Through her business, Melissa connects therapists with highly trained virtual assistants who help streamline operations and ensure practices run smoothly and profitably, so therapists can focus on what they do best—helping clients heal.