About Melissa
Melissa Cooper is a licensed mental health counselor who brings 17 years of experience to her work in Florida. She began her career as a school counselor supporting middle and high school students and their parents, and has since moved into broader mental health practice. Melissa focuses on practical help for everyday problems like stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
She speaks plainly and meets people where they are. Her sessions are structured around clear goals.
Background and approach
She uses client-centered methods to listen carefully and build a trusting conversation. She also applies cognitive behavioral techniques to help people notice thought patterns and try different behaviors. Together these approaches aim to reduce overwhelming feelings and build coping skills.
Melissa works with concerns that include parenting strain, compassion fatigue, ADHD-related struggles, relationship questions, grief, trauma and abuse, eating concerns, anger, and depression. She also offers support around body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and life transitions. Expect a practical focus on what can change day to day.
Her style is respectful and down-to-earth. Melissa individualizes each plan so it fits a person’s goals and situation. She emphasizes small steps and realistic practice between sessions.
For people who prefer remote care, Melissa provides several online formats. She encourages anyone taking the first step to reach out and begin the short questionnaire that starts the matching and scheduling process.
Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions fit
Melissa uses client-centered therapy to start most relationships. That means she focuses on listening, understanding each person’s experience, and shaping sessions around the goals clients bring. This approach helps when someone needs a steady, nonjudgmental space to talk through problems.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, to identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. CBT is practical and skill-focused, and it can help with anxiety, low mood, anger, and coping with life changes by teaching tools people can use between sessions.
Finding the right mix of methods is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to decide which techniques best match their needs, goals, and preferences. Goals and methods can change as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video works well for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, quick skill practice, or when writing feels more comfortable. These formats make therapy flexible and easier to fit into busy days.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Parenting issues
- Self esteem
Also works with
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Eating disorders
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Intellectual disability
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 17 years
- Licensed
- Florida, Washington
- Languages
- English