Psychological Health & Wellness services for all ages, specializing in First Responders
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)
About Us
Who we are
Police/Clinical Psychologist Melissa J. Rodriguez and Licensed Professional Counselor Larissa Palacios established SYA in 2020. Dr. Rodriguez and Larissa chose Sharpening Your Arrow because human beings are like arrowheads, uniquely crafted to serve a specific purpose. When you think about the process of sharpening iron, iron is sharpened through heat, friction, cutting, and slicing. As the iron is beaten, it is reshaped into something beautiful, purposeful, and even better than before. Thus, sharpening is purposeful but can also be painful. The intentional friction often results in a purer, stronger, sharper character. Human beings can be sharpened by a similar act of chipping away the excess buildup to reveal the beauty that lies within.
SYA is like your personal and professional metalworker who is skilled, deliberate, focused, detailed, and trustworthy. Allow SYA to help you discover the parts of your life that need to be refined and reveal the unique work of art beneath. At SYA, we encourage learning, growth, and change by sharpening oneself. Rather than viewing yourself as “broken” or needing to be “fixed,” SYA strives towards teaching clients how to sharpen and refine themselves.
Our Services
Psychological Testing & Evaluation
SYA provides comprehensive psychological assessments to assist with diagnostic clarification, assess for ADHD, learning disabilities, mood and cognitive concerns, testing to determine the psychological suitability of police and public safety personnel (L-3 exams), for promotion and assignments into specialized units, and for fitness for duty.
Individual, Couples, Family, Child & Adolescent Therapy
SYA offers individual, family, marital, and couples counseling using brief, systemic, and strength-based approaches to enhance stress resilience, improve self-awareness, develop healthy coping, strengthen familial relationships, and overcome problems related to stress and trauma, sadness/depression, grief and loss, anxiety/panic, relationship issues, marital discord, family conflict, infidelity, suicidal ideation, and life transitions (divorce, parenthood, marriage, retirement, etc.) SYA operates outside of normal business hours and offers daytime, evening, and weekend appointments in person or virtually.
Single Session Walk-In Wednesdays for First Responders
To express appreciation, give back to the first responder community, and improve accessibility of services, SYA offers Walk-In Wednesdays: Every THIRD Wednesday of the month, first responders (PEACE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS/PARAMEDICS) can walk in for services between 2 pm-7 pm and receive a FREE SINGLE SESSION without scheduling an appointment.