A particularly powerful acupuncture treatment started a cascade of events that led Melena to become the practitioner she is today. Lying on the acupuncture table, feeling the gentle movement of qi, its relaxing effects, and the ensuing pain relief, she exclaimed, "I need to learn more about this!" Shortly after, she found her way to the Esalen Institute to learn massage and then moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to train with a Daoist teacher in East Asian medical theory, martial arts, and meditation. She returned to the Bay Area for acupuncture school, where her studies continued through externships with the Jewish Community Free Clinic in Santa Rosa, the Charlotte Maxwell Integrative Cancer Clinic in Oakland, and the Student-Athlete Sports Medicine Clinic at UC Berkeley. Melena graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Science from the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley and is a licensed acupuncturist in California.

Melena brings a compassionate heart and a background in biomedical science to her work as a practitioner. She enjoys assisting patients on their journey to improve mental and emotional well-being, manage acute and chronic pain, address insomnia, provide care during cancer treatment, tackle digestive issues, and manage autoimmune conditions. She practices various styles, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, gentle Japanese-style needling, auricular (ear) acupuncture, gua sha, moxibustion, cupping, and Chinese herbal medicine. 

Melena supports her patients in connecting to their paths and potential for healing. She is an advocate for self-expression and finds opportunities for joy and play in daily life. She is a doting cat mom, waterer of many plants, singer, and lover of improv and dance and lives with her wife in San Rafael.