- Years in practice
- 10
- Credentials
- LMHC, LPMHC
- Licensed in
- Delaware, Florida
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Parenting issues
- Focus
- Self esteem
About Melissa
Melissa Tooles is a licensed mental health counselor who brings ten years of clinical experience to her work. She grounds her practice in a values-driven perspective and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, and parenting challenges. Melissa works with adults who want clearer goals and steadier emotional ground.
Her sessions are conversational and goal-focused. She listens first, then helps clients break big problems into small, doable steps. Typical topics include self-esteem, workplace strain, and compassion fatigue related to caregiving or helping roles.
Background and approach
Melissa also addresses attachment concerns and relationship communication problems. She supports people navigating divorce or separation, control issues, and the emotional aftermath of trauma. Pregnancy, childbirth, and issues tied to women's life stages are part of her experience as well.
Career and life-purpose questions are another common focus. Melissa helps people weigh options, set realistic goals, and build practical routines that fit busy lives. She also works on forgiveness, self-love, and repairing patterns that limit wellbeing.
Sessions are offered from Florida and conducted in English. Melissa holds the LMHC credential and the LPMHC credential, and she has professional experience across school and community counseling and psychology-related roles. Her style is collaborative, direct, and compassionate, aimed at giving parents and individuals tools they can use between sessions.
What Melissa works with
Everything Melissa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Melissa helps people with.
Evidence-informed approaches and online care
Melissa uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change and emotional understanding. One common approach emphasizes building coping skills and stress management tools to reduce anxiety and compassion fatigue; this involves learning specific breathing, grounding, and thought-challenging strategies to use during stressful moments. Another approach centers on improving attachment and communication patterns by identifying unhelpful relationship habits and practicing new ways to ask for support and set boundaries.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Melissa collaborates with each person to identify goals, tries methods that match those goals, and adjusts the plan based on what helps. She frames therapy as a shared process so clients feel involved in deciding what to try next.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care easier to fit into busy days. Video lets people keep visual connection for deeper conversation. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier during commutes or breaks. Live chat and messaging allow brief check-ins and written reflections between longer sessions, adding flexibility for parents and working professionals.
Questions people ask about Melissa
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She helps people cope with stress, anxiety, parenting concerns, low self-esteem, and workplace challenges. Additional focuses include attachment issues, caregiver stress, and post-traumatic stress.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her approach is conversational and practical. She listens closely, then helps clients set small goals and try manageable changes between sessions.
What is her background and experience?
She has ten years of clinical experience and a background in school counseling, community counseling, and psychology-related work. That experience informs her work with parents and helping professionals.
Where is she located and what credentials does she hold?
She practices from Florida and holds the LMHC and the LPMHC credentials as listed in her professional profile.
Which languages does she use in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Do you offer different session formats?
Yes. Sessions can be conducted via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How are sessions billed and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. After that you can schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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