Profile / United States
Melissa Strauss, LPC
Pennsylvania
LPC - Anxiety and Relationship work
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Attachment focus
About Melissa
Melissa Strauss is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with 13 years of experience in Pennsylvania. She works with people coping with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, grief, parenting concerns, and identity questions including LGBT issues. Melissa also supports those facing trauma, eating and sleeping problems, anger, and life transitions.
She uses practical, goal-focused methods. Sessions often look at unhelpful thoughts and everyday habits. Melissa blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with acceptance-based and attachment approaches to help people try different responses to familiar problems.
In appointments she listens for patterns in thinking and behavior. Then she suggests small experiments and daily practices to test new ways of coping. Sessions include direct feedback and clear steps to practice between meetings.
Melissa draws on client-centered and emotionally-focused ideas when relationships are involved. That means attention to how people connect, to emotions that show up in conversations, and to improving communication. She aims to make sessions straightforward and practical rather than long on theory.
Her experience includes work around blended family issues, family of origin concerns, body image and caregiver stress. She also helps with fertility-related strain, fatherhood questions, gender dysphoria work, and finding direction around life purpose. Melissa conducts sessions in English and accepts international clients, and she asks people to confirm the current session options before booking.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Melissa commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to make thinking and behavior patterns visible and practical. CBT sessions usually include identifying specific thoughts, testing them with small experiments, and assigning short exercises to try between meetings. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is about noticing difficult feelings and choosing actions that match personal values; it can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions by focusing on committed action rather than symptom elimination.She also draws on Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how connection and communication affect distress. That approach helps when relationship patterns or early family dynamics keep showing up in adult life. Deciding which approach to use is a collaborative step. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods in-session, and adjust techniques based on what the client finds most useful.
The original biography did not list specific session formats, so confirm current online session options before scheduling. Many people find online sessions helpful because they can fit meetings into work breaks, avoid travel time, or do shorter check-ins when life is busy. Online work also makes it easier to practice techniques between sessions and to bring real-life examples into the conversation. Licensed professionals tailor pacing and homework to fit a client's routine and goals.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
13+ years
Listed in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she focus on most often?
She commonly helps with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, grief, and parenting-related strain, plus identity and trauma-related issues.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
She uses CBT to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits, then tests small behavior and thinking experiments to find different responses that may work better day to day.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 13 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families on a range of concerns.
Where is she based and what credentials does she hold?
She practices in Pennsylvania and holds the LPC credential, listed as PA LPC and NJ LPC.
In what language are sessions offered and can she work internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography did not specify session formats; confirm current session options with her before booking.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling 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.