Melissa McLaurin , LPCC

Melissa McLaurin is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with 10 years of clinical experience. She focuses her practice on supporting people who have experienced trauma, and those coping with anxiety or depression. She also works extensively with individuals and families who are navigating parenting challenges, relationship strain, or broader family concerns.

Her approach to counseling is grounded in wonder, respect, and acceptance. She offers a nonjudgmental, culturally aware perspective and emphasizes listening and reflection as central tools. Although she is not a person of color, she draws on life and work experiences that inform her understanding of communities of color and their concerns.

Melissa bases her work in a person-centered framework and frequently incorporates techniques from cognitive behavioral, strengths-based, and humanistic modalities to meet each person where they are. She prioritizes tailoring treatment to the individual, collaborating to identify strategies that fit a person’s values, needs, and goals.

Recognizing that asking for help takes courage, Melissa honors the step people take when reaching out. She considers it a privilege to accompany others on the work of healing and growth and seeks to create a supportive space for that process.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Melissa McLaurin uses client-centered therapy to keep the person and their goals at the heart of sessions, emphasizing empathy, active listening, and collaboration to help people explore their values and strengths. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another common approach she draws on - it focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and can be especially useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. She also integrates mindfulness-based techniques to help people develop present-moment awareness and coping strategies for intense emotions and trauma-related symptoms.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Melissa works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts interventions over time so the plan fits the individual rather than expecting the person to fit the method.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can occur by video call or phone, and some work can continue through live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule care around work, family, and life commitments and allow licensed professionals to provide consistent support even when in-person visits are not possible.