Melissa Dawicki , LPC

Melissa Dawicki is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with more than 17 years of experience in behavioral health. She holds licenses in multiple states and has worked across community mental health, emergency room settings, private practice, and telehealth. Her LPC credential means she completed graduate-level training and clinical supervision to provide professional counseling services.

Throughout her career Melissa has supported people facing depression, anxiety, stress, anger, relationship difficulties and related concerns. She draws from person-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and solution-focused techniques to tailor care to each person’s needs. Her approach emphasizes collaboration, practical coping skills, and helping clients regain a sense of agency as they work toward change.

Melissa invites clients to begin by sharing their story and goals so she can offer feedback and support that fits their pace. She checks messages two to three times per day, Monday through Thursday until midafternoon, and is typically unavailable during a midday break and in the evenings. Appointments are scheduled to help avoid conflicts; her usual availability is Monday through Thursday during daytime hours in the Eastern time zone, with weekends and holidays off. She asks clients to engage actively in treatment and notes that meaningful progress often takes time. Melissa does not accept cases in which substance abuse or addiction is the chief complaint. She will review informed consent and mandated reporting requirements and requests emergency contact information before beginning services. Clients may write at any time, and longer messages may take a few days to receive a full response.

Therapeutic Approaches Adapted for Online Care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters most to them and take committed action toward those values. In practice ACT combines acceptance of difficult emotions with practical steps to build a meaningful life, which can be useful for stress, anxiety, and coping with life changes.

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on creating an empathic, nonjudgmental space where the person’s goals guide the work. This approach emphasizes listening, respect, and collaboration to strengthen self-awareness and confidence when facing relationship, grief, or self-esteem concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) examines the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches concrete skills to shift unhelpful patterns. CBT is often applied to depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and anger management with goal-oriented exercises and practical strategies.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Melissa works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and adjusts strategies as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options allow people to receive consistent care from licensed professionals without rearranging their lives, making it easier to attend sessions, follow up between meetings, and use therapeutic tools in everyday settings.