Practical approaches for online therapy

Melissa blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to address everyday problems and intense emotions. CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and trying new behaviors to change how a person feels and functions. DBT teaches skills for managing strong emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress when life feels overwhelming. She also uses Motivational Interviewing to help people who feel stuck about change. That approach centers on listening, exploring mixed feelings, and building motivation for small, achievable steps. Together these methods offer skills, problem solving, and support for longer-term change. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Melissa will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, needs, and preferences. She checks in as therapy progresses and adjusts what she uses to match what helps most. Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video calls let people practice skills in conversation and read visual cues. Phone sessions can work when bandwidth is limited or a simpler check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging suit shorter updates, between-session check-ins, or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it possible to fit therapy around work, caregiving, or other commitments while still using practical, evidence-informed approaches.