Dr. Melissa Chovan

Dr. Melissa Chovan is a licensed counselor who brings practical experience to therapy. She holds LCPC and LPC credentials and has worked in mental health settings for 13 years. Her approach is warm and interactive, with an emphasis on listening and helping people move forward. She helps with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, and addictions. Career concerns, parenting strain, relationship and intimacy issues, and grief are also part of her practice. She also addresses ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, compassion fatigue, and issues related to gender and sexual identity. Her background includes work in community mental health, state prison settings, services for child protective cases, residential programs for at-risk youth, and teaching in both online and in-person formats. That range shapes a practical focus on what works for day-to-day life, not just theory. Therapy sessions mix conversational, skill-based, and evidence-informed methods. Melissa uses client-centered work to follow each person's priorities, cognitive behavioral tools to change unhelpful thinking and behavior, and motivational techniques when people are weighing change. She describes therapy as a partnership built on hope, education, and empowerment. Sessions aim to help people feel heard, learn new skills, and take steady steps toward their goals. To begin, readers can use the site Start Therapy flow to match and schedule with her according to availability.

Therapeutic approaches and how they fit online

Client-centered therapy focuses on the individual's experience and priorities, with the therapist following the person's lead and offering empathetic listening and reflection. This approach helps people feel understood and shapes goals that matter to them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, uses practical exercises to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and some relationship or career challenges where thinking and routines get in the way of progress.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and communication skills. These tools can help when strong emotions, anger, or relationship conflict make daily life harder.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose and adjust techniques based on needs, goals, and personal preferences. That may mean combining listening-focused work with CBT exercises or skill training from DBT.

Confirm current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, save travel time, or allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Many people find that doing skill practice and guided exercises between visits helps the work translate into everyday life.