Melissa Buhbe, LCSW

About Melissa

Melissa Buhbe, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 25 years of experience in geriatric social work and a longstanding specialty in dementia and memory care. She has worked with Kaiser Permanente for the past 15 years, most recently serving as a Memory Care Social Worker with the Kaiser East Bay Memory Clinic.

Melissa earned her Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007, with an emphasis in Aging. Throughout her career, she has supported older adults and their families in a variety of settings, including adult day programs, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, home-based case management, and conservatorship care management.

Her professional commitment to care partners is also deeply personal. Melissa gained tremendous admiration and respect for unpaid family caregivers through witnessing and supporting her mother and grandfather as they cared for her two grandmothers. These experiences continue to inform the compassion and understanding she brings to her work with individuals living with memory changes and the families who care for them.

Melissa has practiced yoga since 2001 and completed her yoga teacher training certification in 2023. She has also volunteered as an assistant in accessible yoga classes, bringing together her interests in wellness, mindfulness, accessibility, and compassionate care.

Melissa brings to her work a deep appreciation for the resilience of care partners and the importance of supporting the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

Restorative Mindfulness Practices

Take a restorative pause to reconnect with your body, breath, and inner sense of calm. Melissa will guide participants through gentle mindfulness practices, including a body scan and breathing exercise, followed by a “Special Place” visualization meditation using sensory awareness.

This nurturing session offers care partners an opportunity to slow down, release tension, and create space for renewal.