Profile / United States
Melanie Barefield, LPC, LMFT
Georgia
LPC and LMFT - family and trauma focused
See online therapy options- CBT techniques
- Trauma-focused work
- Family systems
About Melanie
Melanie Barefield is an LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor, and an LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, practicing in Georgia with eight years of clinical experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, family issues, trauma and abuse, anger, self-esteem, relationships, grief, parenting, bipolar disorder, depression, and coping with life changes. She also addresses compassion fatigue and ADHD alongside several family-related concerns.
She helps people sort through family of origin problems and communication difficulties. She listens first, then works together with clients on practical steps to change patterns that cause strain. Melanie has substantial experience supporting people who have survived traumatic events and who need help managing difficult memories and reactions.
Her background includes work in residential treatment settings, in-home counseling, church-based programs, and hospital environments. That variety shaped a straightforward, skills-focused way of working. She uses techniques drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when they fit the goal at hand.
Melanie also incorporates Trauma-Focused Therapy approaches for clients coping with trauma reactions. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ideas and Attachment-Based methods to address values, relationships, and how people connect with others. Motivational Interviewing techniques appear when exploring readiness for change.
In sessions she helps people identify where they want to be and then tries practical steps toward that aim. She has experience using Prepare-Enrich tools with couples and uses family systems ideas when helping people notice and change interaction patterns. To start, she asks clients to complete a short questionnaire and schedule an initial session.
How her approaches translate to online work
Melanie commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. CBT focuses on concrete exercises and short-term skill building, which can be practiced between sessions. Trauma-Focused Therapy is used when past traumatic events are central; it emphasizes stabilizing symptoms and gradually addressing traumatic memories in a paced way. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is sometimes applied to clarify values and to help clients act toward meaningful goals despite difficult feelings.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will review goals, your preferences, and current challenges, and then suggest which methods to try. That decision is collaborative and can shift as needs change over time.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make scheduling easier and help fit sessions into busy lives. It can also allow shorter check-ins, reduce travel time, and let people choose whether to use video or an alternative format where offered. Licensed professionals can adapt CBT, ACT, and trauma-focused methods to remote sessions while focusing on practical steps clients can use between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Georgia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address most often?
She works with stress, anxiety, family and relationship problems, trauma and abuse, anger, self-esteem, grief, parenting concerns, bipolar and depression among other issues.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in sessions?
She uses CBT techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and to practice different responses. CBT is used when it matches the client's goals and symptom pattern.
What sort of experience does she bring?
She has eight years of experience across residential treatment, in-home counseling, church-based programs, and hospital settings, with strong experience in trauma work.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is an LPC and an LMFT licensed in Georgia and practices there.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
The biography does not list specific session formats. Confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What is the first step to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.