- Client-Centered Therapy
- CBT techniques
- DBT skills
About Melissa
Melissa Wooden is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia with 3 years of clinical experience. She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, anger, low self-esteem, and depression. She also addresses guilt and shame alongside issues like loneliness, life purpose, and forgiveness.
Her sessions focus on straightforward conversation and practical tools. She uses client-centered methods and cognitive-behavioral techniques to help people notice patterns and try different actions. Melissa includes elements of dialectical behavior therapy and motivational interviewing when that fits a person’s goals.
People meet her to talk through substance use concerns, communication problems, obsessive thoughts, and social anxiety. She pays attention to what feels most pressing and helps make a plan for the next steps. Expect clear, concrete suggestions and chances to practice skills between meetings.
Melissa draws on existential ideas when clients are wrestling with meaning, direction, or feelings of emptiness. She helps name the parts of a problem, weigh options, and decide on manageable changes. Sessions aim to balance understanding with action.
Her style is interactive and goal-focused. She encourages honest talk about guilt and shame without judgment. If you want to explore specific behaviors or the beliefs that follow them, she offers tools to test new ways of coping and relating.
How her main approaches shape online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflecting so the client leads the conversation. Online sessions using this approach often focus on clarifying what matters most and shaping goals that feel doable. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and offers concrete exercises to test new responses. In an online appointment this can include homework, thought records, and step-by-step behavior experiments. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) brings practical skills for managing strong emotions and improving distress tolerance. DBT-informed work online often teaches brief grounding strategies and emotion regulation techniques to practice between meetings.Finding the right mix of approaches is collaborative. The therapist will talk with the client about their concerns, goals, and preferences and suggest which methods to try first. Together they will check what’s working and adjust the plan over time rather than committing to one fixed method at the start.
The original biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can help fit therapy into busy lives by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when needed, and making it easier to schedule meetings around work or family commitments. These practical benefits can make it simpler to try new skills and keep regular momentum without promising a particular service.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Listed in
Virginia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, anger, self-esteem issues, and depression. Additional focus areas include guilt and shame, forgiveness, loneliness, and life purpose.
How does she approach guilt and shame in sessions?
Her approach mixes client-centered listening with cognitive-behavioral strategies and practical skills. She helps people name their feelings, test beliefs, and try small behavioral changes.
What is her background and experience?
She is an LPC in Virginia and has three years of experience working in mental health settings. That experience includes work with mood concerns and substance use issues.
What credential does she hold and where is she located?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Virginia. Her practice is based in Virginia.
Which languages are supported and can international clients connect?
Sessions are offered in English. She does accept international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking to know which formats are offered.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing depends on where you are located.
What do I do to start working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session. That begins the intake and booking process.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.