- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Attachment focus
About Melissa
Melissa Fernald is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Maine with 25 years of experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, ADHD, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting concerns, and life purpose questions.
Melissa draws on long experience in hospitals, community programs, and private practice. She approaches therapy in a straightforward, practical way. Sessions focus on concrete skills and steps people can use between appointments. She favors methods that help reduce overwhelm and improve day-to-day functioning.
Her style is calm and down-to-earth. She values honesty and uses humor when it helps. Clients can expect a nonjudgmental presence that emphasizes what is already working while addressing what is not.
Melissa uses several evidence-based approaches to guide sessions, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. These approaches shape how she helps people manage emotions, shift unhelpful patterns, and set practical goals.
She often helps people who feel stuck after a change in work, relationships, health, or parenting responsibilities. Sessions mix conversation with hands-on tools so people leave with something to try. To begin, users select the online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
How therapeutic approaches guide online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without getting ruled by them and clarify what matters most. It is often used for anxiety, stress, and life purpose questions and emphasizes small committed actions toward chosen values.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying thought and behavior patterns that keep problems going and learning practical strategies to change them. It is commonly used for depression, anxiety, and managing impulses or addictive behaviors.
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how past and current relationships shape how people relate and manage emotions. It can be useful for intimacy issues, communication problems, and family-related stress.
Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will work with the client to pick methods that fit their needs, goals, and preferences. Sessions may blend techniques from different approaches as appropriate, and the plan can be adjusted over time based on what helps most.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into work and family routines, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when weeks are busy. They also let people use tools learned in sessions in the settings where those skills are needed.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Maine, New Hampshire
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, ADHD, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting challenges, and life purpose questions.
How does she approach someone who feels stuck?
Her approach is practical and solution-focused, using skills-based work to help people make small, manageable changes between sessions.
What is her professional background?
She has 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction settings, including hospitals, community programs, and private practice.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW practicing in Maine and holds ME LCSW and NH LCSW credentials.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
The biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Begin by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.