- 25 years experience
- Pennsylvania LPC
- Adoption and foster care
About Melissa
Melissa McMahon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania with 25 years of clinical experience. She has worked with children, teens, and adults on problems like depression, anxiety, grief, ADHD, and trauma. Her style is warm and approachable, aiming to make hard conversations feel manageable for worried parents and caregivers.
She focuses on identifying each person's strengths and practical steps they can use day to day. Sessions emphasize clear goals and straightforward skills for coping with stress, mood changes, sleep problems, and relationship strain. She also addresses concerns related to adoption and foster care when they arise in a client’s life.
Melissa draws on Client-Centered approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She adapts these methods to fit what each person needs, rather than using one fixed method for everyone. She invites feedback and adjusts pace and focus as therapy progresses.
Her work often involves talking through patterns that affect behavior and emotions, and practicing small changes that add up over time. Parents can expect practical ideas for managing anger, supporting a child’s attention and sleep, and handling family-of-origin issues. She emphasizes realistic steps instead of quick fixes.
Melissa encourages people to be honest about what helps and what doesn’t. She aims to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space where clients can test new ways of coping and build on their strengths.
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and responding to what matters most to the client. The therapist reflects feelings, asks clarifying questions, and supports the client's own problem-solving. This approach is helpful when someone needs a nonjudgmental space to make sense of feelings.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It teaches practical techniques to change unhelpful thinking and develop new behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and sleep or attention problems.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, emphasizes skills for managing strong emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress. It offers concrete tools for coping with anger, impulsivity, and interpersonal conflicts.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to match methods to their goals, needs, and preferences, and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Confirm current session options before booking, since specific formats are not listed in the biography. In general, online work can make it easier to fit therapy around school, work, or caregiving. It can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and make it simpler to use skills learned in sessions during real-life moments. Licensed professionals will discuss the practical setup and help decide what will work best for scheduling and communication.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
Pennsylvania
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she help with?
She helps with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, ADHD, addictions, relationship and family problems, sleep and eating issues, and parenting challenges.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is warm, direct, and practical. She focuses on identifying strengths, setting clear goals, and teaching skills people can use between sessions.
How long has she practiced?
She has 25 years of experience working in multiple settings with children, teens, and adults.
What credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Pennsylvania.
Can I work with her if I live outside the U.S.?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.