Melissa Cooper

Melissa Cooper is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Florida with 17 years of professional experience. She began her career as a school counselor working with middle and high school students and their parents before moving into broader mental health practice. Melissa focuses on practical, straightforward support for stress, anxiety, parenting concerns, self-esteem, and motivation.

She uses a person-centered stance, listening first and adapting conversation to each client's needs. Melissa also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help identify unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. Sessions aim to be collaborative and goal-oriented so people can see small changes that add up.

Melissa works with people facing relationship strain, grief, trauma and abuse, and compassion fatigue. She also addresses concerns around eating, anger, depression, ADHD, and issues that come with life changes. Additional areas include caregiver stress, chronic illness, aging concerns, and questions around gender and identity.

Her style is warm, respectful, and straightforward. Melissa says she will tailor conversation and any treatment ideas to what each person actually needs. She encourages people to take the first step and recognizes that starting therapy often takes courage.

Clients can expect practical discussion, coping strategies, and collaborative problem solving. Melissa helps people break down worries into manageable steps and build confidence to handle day-to-day challenges.

How Melissa Uses Client-Centered Work and CBT Online

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and meeting people where they are. The therapist follows the client's lead, offers reflection and support, and helps people clarify what matters to them. This approach is useful when someone needs a respectful space to talk through life changes and emotional strain.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses practical exercises to test unhelpful thoughts and try new coping strategies. CBT can help with anxiety, low mood, stress, and building problem-solving skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That partnership shapes the plan and can include trying different techniques over time.

If you are considering online therapy, confirm which session formats the therapist currently offers before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They can also let people use tools from CBT between sessions, like thought records or brief behavioral experiments, to reinforce progress between meetings.