About Melissa
Melissa Dawicki is a Licensed Professional Counselor who aims to make therapy approachable and practical. She speaks plainly about stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family struggles, sleep problems, career concerns, bipolar disorder, and compassion fatigue. Melissa offers steady support while people work through life changes and difficult emotions.
She draws on person-centered ideas to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools help break unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns.
Background and approach
Mindfulness practices are used to build calm, focus, and tolerance for strong feelings. Melissa has 17 years of experience in behavioral health across community mental health, emergency room settings, independent practice, and telehealth. That background shapes a practical style that values clear steps and realistic goals.
She says counseling takes commitment and that meaningful change often unfolds over time. Sessions are scheduled to avoid overlapping appointments. Messaging is checked multiple times per day Monday through Thursday.
Melissa works from South Carolina and follows the time expectations she sets for scheduling and communication. She asks people to engage actively in the work and to be patient with gradual progress. Melissa does not take cases where substance abuse or addiction is the main concern.
Her approach focuses on helping individuals develop skills, process emotions, and make workable plans for change.
How Melissa’s Approaches Work Online
Melissa uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot and change thoughts and behaviors that make life harder. CBT often helps with anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and mood shifts by teaching concrete tools to try between sessions.She also relies on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and then taking actions that match personal values. ACT can be useful for chronic stress, grief, and major life transitions.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. Melissa will talk with each person about their goals and try different tools until a good fit emerges. She encourages feedback and adjusts methods based on what helps most over time.
Online therapy offers flexibility in how people connect. Video calls let the therapist and client work face to face. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during a busy day. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, written reflection, or when someone prefers typing to talking. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent around work, caregiving, or travel.
Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does she help with?
What is her approach to therapy?
How much experience does she have?
What credentials and region are listed?
Which languages are supported and can she see international clients?
What session formats are available?
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What this counselor works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Blended family issues
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Relationship issues
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 17 years
- Licensed
- South Carolina, Maine, West Virginia
- Languages
- English