Melissa Fernald, LCSW

Melissa Fernald is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction work. She has practiced in hospitals, community programs, and private practice. Melissa focuses on practical, focused therapy that aims to help people manage what they are facing now.

Melissa uses a strength-based, solution-focused style. She looks for what is already working and builds on it. Sessions are down-to-earth and direct, with an emphasis on skills people can use between meetings.

Her work addresses stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, ADHD, addictions, and relationship and intimacy-related issues. She also supports people managing parenting, career changes, eating concerns, anger, self-esteem, and bipolar-related challenges. Additional focuses include caregiver stress, blended family issues, codependency, and communication problems.

Clinically she draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). These approaches inform how she helps clients notice thoughts and everyday habits and practice new responses.

Melissa emphasizes collaboration and honesty in session. She aims for each meeting to leave people feeling a bit lighter and more able to handle their next steps.

How Melissa’s approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for stress, anxiety, and getting unstuck from unhelpful habits. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying patterns in thoughts and behaviors and practicing small changes to improve mood and functioning. It often helps with anxiety, depression, and everyday coping skills.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Melissa collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their needs and goals. She mixes practical skill-building with attention to relationships and emotions, and she adjusts the plan as people learn what helps them most.

The original biography does not list specific online session formats. Please confirm the available session options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It also lets people practice new skills between meetings in real-world routines. Licensed professionals can help you find an approach and rhythm that suit your day-to-day needs.