- Client-centered approach
- CBT tools
- 17 years experience
About Melissa
Melissa Cooper is a licensed mental health counselor practicing in Florida. She brings 17 years of experience to her work and began her career as a school counselor for middle and high school students and their parents. She meets people where they are and focuses on practical steps forward.
Her style is respectful and down-to-earth. She listens first, then helps shape a plan that fits each person's situation. Sessions often focus on immediate concerns like stress, anxiety, parenting challenges, motivation, and low self-esteem.
Melissa uses approaches that center the client and build skills. Conversations are shaped around what matters most to the person sitting across from her. She also draws on cognitive behavioral ideas to identify patterns of thinking and try small, manageable changes.
People come for many reasons, including grief, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, relationship strain, and codependency. She also supports people dealing with chronic illness, caregiver stress, body image, and questions around gender and sexual identity.
She aims to make beginning therapy straightforward. The first sessions typically focus on safety, goals, and a simple plan to start testing what works. Melissa adapts pace and focus as people progress, keeping practical life demands in mind.
How her approaches shape online care
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person and their goals. It emphasizes listening, empathy, and working at a pace that feels manageable. This approach helps when someone needs support sorting priorities, making decisions, or rebuilding confidence.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact. It teaches simple skills to notice unhelpful thinking and try small behavior changes. CBT can be useful for anxiety, low mood, stress, and problems with motivation.
Finding the right approach is a shared process. Melissa will work with each person to identify goals, try methods that fit their needs, and adjust plans based on what helps. The aim is to pick strategies that feel useful and realistic for daily life.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know how she is offering care. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, or use a shorter check-in when days are tight. Talk with her about what will work best for scheduling and the type of session that meets your needs.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Credentials
Florida, Washington
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, parenting issues, motivation, and self-esteem. Other areas include grief, trauma and abuse, relationship strain, and codependency.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is respectful and practical. She listens first and then helps build a plan that fits everyday life.
How much experience does she have?
She has 17 years of professional experience, including time as a school counselor working with middle and high school students and parents.
What credentials and location apply?
She holds the LMHC credential and practices in Florida as a Florida LMHC and Washington LMHC.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.