Megan Nelson
Therapist
Megan Nelson joined Bayside Marin in April 2024 as a Therapist II. Megan earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University after receiving her BA in Psychology from Syracuse University.
Before pursuing her graduate degree, Megan volunteered as a Rape Crisis Advocate in a hospital, a Client Liaison and Patient Advocate at Planned Parenthood, and with folks living with HIV and AIDS in New York City. After receiving her MSW, Megan worked with incarcerated folks at Federal Defenders, college students battling substance use, and with older adults in long-term residential care.
She took a hiatus from social work and applied her advocacy skills in the tech industry. As a researcher at Google, she focused on enhancing software tools for people with disabilities and improving product equity and inclusion for Google’s internal employee tools. As a researcher at Salesforce, she used inclusive design to improve software tools for all folks, with an emphasis on those with disabilities. It was here that she honed and developed her passion for advocating for neurodivergent users and employees. Despite a successful career in tech, Megan chose to return to the mental health field where she could help people directly, not just through improved software.
Megan’s philosophy is person-centered, inspired by the disability rights slogan, “Nothing About Us Without Us.” She believes in empowering clients by elevating their voices, recognizing them as experts in their own experiences, and actively involving them in their healing and care. Drawing from her background as a researcher, Megan places deep importance on using research-oriented and evidence-based strategies. As a clinician, she combines this scientific rigor with warmth, intuition, and a touch of light-hearted humor to create a supportive and effective therapeutic environment.
Megan is fervent about intersectional feminism, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, and people living with HIV and AIDS. She has a particular interest in working with individuals with learning differences and those with attention challenges such as ADHD. Her career in the tech sector provides an understanding of high-stress, high-performance work environments and their pressures. She has an insatiable drive for learning and curiosity about the human experience. She is interested in supporting, working with, and learning from folks from all walks of life.
In her spare time, Megan enjoys volunteering with Crisis Text Line or Code for America (like the Peace Corps for nerds), walking in the redwoods with her dog, watching live music, and painting.
