Melissa Cumella

Calm, practical support for building resilience

LPC Arizona

Experience: 5 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Career
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages: English

About Melissa

Melissa Cumella is an LPC based in Arizona with five years of clinical experience supporting people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career challenges, and depression.

Background and approach

She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, build practical coping skills, and increase emotional regulation. Melissa frames clients as experts in their own lives and partners with them to translate strengths into meaningful change.

She emphasizes a collaborative, strengths-based approach that balances practical techniques with empathy. Melissa acknowledges the courage it takes to seek change and aims to provide steady support as clients work toward clearer goals and more satisfying daily routines.

Her background includes work with trauma and abuse, grief, eating concerns, parenting stress, anger, and compassion fatigue, and she applies evidence-informed strategies to those presenting concerns. Therapy with Melissa may include skill-building, behavioral experiments, and targeted strategies to manage symptoms and improve functioning.

Prospective clients in Arizona who prefer English-language care can explore available formats and scheduling when they select a therapy path that fits their needs.

How CBT and DBT Translate to Online Care

Melissa uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice and adjust thoughts and behaviors that contribute to distress, using exercises and practical strategies aimed at everyday problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy complements this with skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and improving interpersonal effectiveness when emotions feel overwhelming.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. Melissa works with each client to tailor techniques to their goals and preferences, trying practical tools and adjusting the plan over time to fit what helps most. Clients participate in setting targets and choosing strategies that feel useful for their situation.

Online sessions make it possible to access therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options allow work on skill practice, homework review, and real-time coaching from a licensed professional without needing to attend in-person appointments, which can help sustain progress amid busy lives.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she commonly address?

She works with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career issues, depression, coping with life changes, trauma and abuse, grief, eating concerns, parenting stress, anger, and compassion fatigue.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach is collaborative and strengths-based, combining practical skill-building with validation and problem-solving to help clients move toward their goals.

What level of experience does she have?

She has five years of professional experience working with a range of emotional and behavioral concerns.

Where is she licensed and what are her credentials?

She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with credential AZ LPC LPC-21459 and practices in Arizona.

Does she provide services in other languages or to international clients?

Services are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.

What session formats are available?

Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on client preference and availability.

How is payment handled and what does therapy cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What are the steps to begin working with her?

Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a session according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Self esteemCareer difficultiesDepression Coping with life changes

Also works with

Trauma and abuse GriefEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCompassion fatigue

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Experience

5+ years

Licensed

Arizona

Languages

English