Melissa Meengs
Compassionate CBT-informed care for practical change
LMSW Michigan
- Experience
- 20 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Languages
- English
About Melissa
Melissa Meengs is a licensed social worker who centers cognitive behavioral therapy within a collaborative counseling style to help people rethink patterns that contribute to stress, anxiety, and low mood.
Background and approach
With 20 years of clinical experience in Michigan, she blends practical skill-building and mindfulness to address trauma, self-esteem challenges, and life transitions. Her approach emphasizes identifying unhelpful thoughts and developing concrete strategies to manage symptoms while strengthening everyday coping skills.
Clients seeking support for relationship struggles, feelings of isolation, panic symptoms, or grief and change will find an emphasis on clear tools and steady guidance. Melissa also works with concerns such as attachment wounds, caregiver stress, impulse control, and issues that arise during separation or midlife shifts.
She aims to create an accepting, nonjudgmental atmosphere where difficult feelings can be explored and where motivation and resilience are reinforced. As an LMSW, she frames therapy as a partnership focused on practical outcomes and personal growth.
Sessions often incorporate elements from DBT, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness practices alongside CBT techniques to tailor interventions to each person’s goals and readiness for change.
Evidence-Informed Approaches for Online Work
Melissa integrates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into online sessions to help clients recognize and change thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and stress; CBT sessions often focus on practical exercises and homework to reinforce new skills. She also draws from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to teach emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills useful for intense emotions and relationship challenges. Mindfulness techniques are woven into her work to increase present-moment awareness and reduce reactivity, supporting clients who struggle with rumination or panic.Choosing the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. The therapist explores a client’s goals, preferences, and life context and then tailors interventions accordingly, combining elements of CBT, DBT, or mindfulness as fits the individual. This partnership helps ensure that therapy remains relevant and responsive as needs evolve.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care during busy periods or life transitions, allowing clients to practice skills between sessions and access support from wherever they are.
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Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Licensed
Michigan
Languages
English