Melissa Benson, LMHC, LCMHC

Melissa Benson is a licensed mental health counselor who helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, addictions, and life changes. She has 24 years of professional experience and practices in Florida. Melissa approaches each person with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. She shapes conversations and care around the needs of each client. Sessions focus on practical steps people can use between visits. Melissa uses straightforward techniques to address mood, coping, and everyday challenges. Her work draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, client-centered methods, and mindfulness practices. These approaches help people notice unhelpful thoughts, build new habits, and learn ways to calm their minds. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused strategies are also part of her toolkit when people want clear goals and action plans. Melissa has supported people facing relationship strain, parenting pressures, sleep and eating concerns, substance use, and trauma-related issues. She also works with those navigating identity and intimacy questions, anger, self-esteem, and adjustment around aging or major life transitions. In sessions she aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk through what matters most. The plan evolves based on progress and what feels useful. Melissa invites people to take the first step and offers steady support while they work toward changes that matter to them.

How her approaches work online

Melissa commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that keep problems going. CBT is practical and skill-based, useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and managing cravings.

She also uses Client-Centered Therapy which focuses on listening, empathy, and building trust so people can explore feelings at their own pace. Mindfulness Therapy is used to teach simple awareness and breathing practices that reduce reactivity and improve focus.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Melissa collaborates with each person to pick methods that match their goals, preferences, and life circumstances. She adjusts techniques as progress is made and as goals change.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, live chat is useful for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to keep those small but important steps moving forward.