MELISSA A. FABELLO, PHD is a sex and relationships educator who uses her backgrounds in educational theory, developmental psychology, holistic life coaching, and sexuality research to help you be in right relationship to yourself and others. In her one-on-one coaching work, she helps you clarify your values, own your truth, and build new relational skills. As a queer femme, she believes deeply in the power of community care, which is what her work is rooted in.

Melissa believes that relationships are political. And in her various educational work – through social media, workshops and support groups, and writing, in addition to one-on-one coaching – she makes it her goal to warmly, but firmly invite others into conversations around sexual and relational wellness that prioritize values alignment within a liberationist, abolitionist framework.

As a coach, Melissa brings a compassionate, affirming air to her work with clients, stressing the validity of their myriad experiences. Through humor and personal anecdotes, she connects with clients’ struggles and triumphs to form a comfortable atmosphere for sorting through folks’ stuck points and creating powerful lightbulb moments.

Melissa uses several skill sets in her coaching work. Mostly, she relies on her formal training and national certification as a holistic life coach to engage in dialogue that brings realizations to the surface. But as a licensed educator with almost 20 years of experience, she can’t help but infuse her coaching work with teachable moments for deeper intellectual understanding.

Melissa believes that coaching can be a powerful form of self-development in its spaciousness for digging into specific issues with nuance – and has, herself, used coaches in her own life!

If you’re curious about working with Melissa as a coach, use the inquiry form below. She will be in touch soon with more information, including current availability. Don’t worry—an inquiry is commitment-free.

Previously, Melissa worked as Managing Editor of Everyday Feminism, one of the world’s largest independent feminist media sites, with an audience of over seven million. There, she guided the organization – which was dedicated to helping people break down and stand up to oppression through the application of intersectional feminism in their daily lives – into a unique editorial style grounded in evidence-based educational practices. This work encapsulates all that Melissa does: synthesizing complex ideas with passion and practicality.

As a digital creator, Melissa develops online content – in the form of articles, graphics, videos, and more – to challenge audiences to unpack oppressive ideology around how we connect with others. Combining her skills as an educator and a digital strategist, Melissa aims to create online educational content that is effective, as well as entertaining. Follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

In a more traditional educational capacity, Melissa has recently taught Sex in the Media for Widener University and Social Action Writing for California State University. She is available for other short-term adjunct professor positions, workshops, and lectures in the fields of digital communications and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Contact her to learn more.

Melissa holds a PhD in Human Sexuality Studies from Widener University, where her dissertation research explored how women with anorexia nervosa make meaning of their experiences with sensual touch. To learn more, check out her groundbreaking book, Appetite. She also holds an M.Ed. in Human Sexuality from Widener and a B.S. in English Education from Boston University.

Melissa is a white, thin, middle class, queer, cisgender woman who lives with anxiety. To learn more about her sociopolitical identities, please read her “About” highlight on Instagram.

Melissa currently lives in Los Angeles after spending over a decade in Philadelphia. She lives with two senior cats, a chihuahua-dachshund puppy, and an unironic Taylor Swift obsession.