- Warm and direct
- Bilingual English Spanish
- Skill building focus
About Melissa
Melissa Torres is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with six years of experience helping people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and addiction. She also supports those facing relationship and intimacy struggles, codependency, caregiver strain, and work-related stress. Melissa speaks English and Spanish and aims to make sessions approachable and straightforward.
She uses a mix of practical techniques to help people cope and move forward. Sessions focus on clear goals, learning skills to manage strong emotions, and practicing new ways to communicate and set boundaries. Melissa blends talk-based work with exercises that can be tried between meetings.
Her style is warm and direct. She listens for what matters most to each person and adjusts the pace to match their needs. Treatment plans are collaborative and emphasize small, steady steps toward greater stability and confidence.
Melissa draws from several evidence-informed methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness practices. Those approaches are used to address trauma, addiction, shame and guilt, and problems rooted in early family patterns.
People often come to work through loss, separation, chronic stress, or problems with substance use, and leave with clearer goals and coping tools. To start, clients complete a brief matching questionnaire and schedule their first session based on the therapist's availability.
Therapeutic approaches and how they work online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It emphasizes clarifying values and taking small, meaningful actions toward a life that matters to the client. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing different behaviors to reduce anxiety, depression, and addictive urges. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to calm strong emotions and increase awareness of triggers and choices.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and everyday routine. That decision can shift over time as progress is made or new concerns come up.
Confirm the available session formats before booking, as current options are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets people practice skills in the settings where they live and work, so learning feels practical and directly usable.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Credentials
Virginia
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Melissa help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, codependency, caregiver strain, and related concerns.
How would you describe the therapy style?
Sessions are warm and direct, with a focus on practical skills, goal setting, and steady progress at a comfortable pace.
What is her professional background?
She has six years of clinical experience supporting people with complex emotional and behavioral challenges.
What credentials and location are listed?
Melissa holds the LCSW credential and practices in Virginia.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can I work with her from another country?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies by location and availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin therapy?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and 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.