Melissa is the founder and proud practice owner of Swan Therapy Group LLC. She has been working with children, adolescents and young adults for her entire career.  She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Social Work from Rutgers University, where she minored in psychology. She is the recipient of the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore Award “Phenomonal Women Under 40” in 2021. 

Melissa founded Swan Therapy Group in the Spring of 2019. It was always her dream to help at least one person/family in Ocean County, but has now found herself helping the entire county with four locations! She was unsure what to name the practice during this time and received her family crest with her husband for the name “Schwaner” which was covered in Swans. She also saw Swans everywhere during that summer and took it as a sign that this is what the name should be! “Be like a Swan, paddling madly underneath the water but appearing so graceful and elegant on the surface. Do not let things get to you, and thus find a place of peace.” 

Melissa currently is not accepting new/previous clients, but is giving back to the community by supervising many clinicians within the practice to help them strive, grow, and create safe atmosphere’s for their clients. She holds her certification in supervision for Licensed Social Workers (LSW’s) and is helping them expand their knowledge within the field to be amazing Clinical Social Workers one day!  

When she is not running Swan Therapy Group, Melissa enjoys going to the beach, spending time with her family, eating ice cream, listening to a good audiobook and playing with her dog Charlie!

Charlie is a Registered Therapy Dog and K-9 Good Citizen Certified. He is 8 years old. He is a Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie mix), which means he is hypoallergenic!  He loves everyone he meets and always greets others with a kiss and loves back rubs. He is his mommy’s (Melissa) assistant therapist and enjoys spreading love to clients.

He loves greenies, the beach, and getting snuggles from his parents!