How Melissa works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Indiana
- Years in practice
- 6
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Melissa
Melissa Oran is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Indiana who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, anger, addiction, and trauma. She uses straightforward conversation and practical tools so people can feel heard and start making changes.
Melissa aims to create a warm, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk about what matters to them and try new ways of coping. With six years of direct therapy experience and a longer history in social services, Melissa blends several methods to match each person's needs.
Background and approach
She often uses client-centered techniques to follow the person's lead and build trust. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is part of her work when the goal is to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. For trauma-related concerns she integrates eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, known as EMDR, alongside mindfulness practices that teach grounding and present-moment awareness.
Motivational interviewing helps people who are struggling with substance use or mixed feelings about change. Sessions are practical and focused on small, manageable steps. Melissa supports people through grief, relationship strain, parenting challenges, and life transitions.
She also addresses complex topics like attachment issues, codependency, and compassion fatigue. Her approach is collaborative - she and the client decide together what feels most useful. Sessions are offered in English and are available through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Melissa works with adults on a range of concerns, and she explains options clearly so people can pick what fits their routine and goals.
What Melissa works with
Everything Melissa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Melissa's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Grief
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Compassion fatigue
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Melissa lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
How Melissa’s approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy starts by focusing on the person’s priorities and pace. Online sessions allow Melissa to listen and follow what matters most to the client, whether that means talking through a current stressor or practicing new skills together. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, gives clear tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors; this approach works well in video or phone sessions where worksheets and homework can be reviewed together. EMDR is used for processing trauma; elements of the protocol can be adapted to remote formats and paired with grounding and mindfulness to help manage intensity.Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Melissa will discuss options and try methods that fit the client's goals and comfort. If something doesn’t feel useful, she adjusts the plan so progress can continue without pressure. The aim is steady, practical change rather than quick fixes.
Online therapy offers flexibility that helps people fit care into busy lives. Video calls are useful for deeper conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be an efficient option when bandwidth is limited or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging support shorter updates, quick coping reminders, or ongoing motivation between sessions. These formats make it easier to keep momentum while juggling work, family, and other responsibilities.
Questions people ask about Melissa
What concerns does Melissa help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, anger, addictions, trauma and abuse, self esteem, grief, parenting challenges, and related issues like attachment and codependency.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and direct; sessions focus on listening, building trust, and using concrete tools such as CBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Melissa has six years of direct therapy practice and over a decade of broader experience in social services prior to her therapy work.
What are her credentials and where is she located?
She holds an LCSW license in Indiana and provides services from that state.
Can sessions be conducted in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English only.
What formats are available for appointments?
Appointments can be done by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by clicking the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to therapist availability.