- ACT methods
- CBT techniques
- Motivational interviewing
About Melissa
Melissa Loudon is a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in Missouri and an LSCSW in Kansas with six years of clinical experience. She works with adults who are carrying stress, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or feelings tied to identity such as LGBTQ concerns and gender dysphoria. Melissa also lists guilt and shame among the issues she addresses.
She focuses on practical conversation and goal-setting. Sessions often involve talking through what feels most urgent, identifying small next steps, and using skills to manage strong emotions. Melissa commonly uses cognitive behavioral ideas, acceptance and commitment strategies, and motivational interviewing in her work.
Before focusing on therapy full time, she spent many years in human services supporting a wide range of people. That background includes work with youth in the child welfare system, adults with substance use challenges, and people with developmental or intellectual disabilities. More recently she supported adults with employment goals and job-related strategies.
In practice she leans toward straightforward collaboration. She keeps clients' values in view and aims to minimize judgment while helping people clarify goals. Verbal processing and structured skill practice are regular parts of her sessions.
Melissa provides care from Missouri and conducts sessions via telehealth. She offers work aimed at parenting concerns, family-of-origin issues, adoption and foster care questions, body image, chronic health matters, coping after disasters, addiction-related concerns, and intimacy-related problems among other topics. She uses the professional designations LCSW and LSCSW as listed.
How her approaches translate to virtual sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on identifying personal values and taking small, values-driven steps even when emotions are strong. It can help when guilt or shame make it hard to act in ways that matter to you. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses short exercises and experiments to test unhelpful thinking patterns. It is often used for anxiety, low mood, and self-critical thinking. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) works through memories and distress tied to past events using guided processing; it can be helpful for people stuck with trauma-related reactions.Deciding which approach to use is part of the work. The therapist and client review concerns, goals, and preferences together and pick methods that fit. Sessions can blend techniques as progress and needs change, and the therapist will explain options so clients can choose what feels most useful.
The original biography notes that Melissa provides telehealth or virtual sessions. Confirm the exact session formats and technical details before scheduling. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and avoid being on camera if that helps you focus. Licensed professionals can adapt ACT, CBT, or EMDR exercises to work in a virtual setting and will discuss practical steps to make sessions work for everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Missouri, Kansas
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does she help with?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, LGBTQ concerns, grief, trauma, and guilt and shame.
How does she approach guilt and shame?
She uses conversation, skills practice, and acceptance-based strategies to help people understand and respond to those feelings without judgment.
What is her professional background?
She has six years of clinical experience and many prior years in human services working with youth, adults with substance use issues, and people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an LCSW in Missouri and an LSCSW in Kansas and practices from Missouri.
Do sessions take place in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography indicates she provides telehealth or virtual sessions; confirm the current session options before booking.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.