- CBT
- DBT skills
- ACT and attachment
About Melissa
Melissa Timlin is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in Missouri with ten years of experience. She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, low self-esteem, and depression. Melissa also addresses related concerns such as abandonment, attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness, and communication or control problems.
She spent ten years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. That time included roles as a Command Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor and as a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate. Those experiences inform her practical approach to addiction and trauma-related issues.
In sessions she treats the person as the expert on their life and looks for strengths to build from. Melissa uses a mix of approaches drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, and client-centered methods. She also integrates practices like restorative yoga, body-scan meditation, and breathwork when appropriate.
Her work includes helping people develop strategies for managing cravings, regulating strong emotions, and addressing guilt or shame tied to loss or relationship wounds. She aims to create clear, usable tools you can apply between sessions. Practical skills, problem-solving, and building insight are common parts of her meetings.
Outside of clinical work she is a spouse and parent and mentions enjoying family time and her pug. That background shapes a direct, lived-perspective on balancing life demands with mental health needs.
How Melissa uses therapy approaches online
Melissa uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and change behaviors that keep distress going. CBT is practical and often includes exercises you do between sessions to test new ways of thinking.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. DBT offers concrete strategies for managing intense feelings and reducing impulsive actions that can come with addiction or high anxiety.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, past experiences, and preferences, and then recommend methods that fit. That process is collaborative and can be adjusted over time as needs change.
Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats were not specified in the biography. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by removing travel, allowing shorter check-ins, or letting someone choose whether to use video or audio depending on bandwidth or comfort. Licensed professionals can also blend skill practice and breathwork into virtual meetings so tools are learned and used between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
Michigan, Missouri
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, self-esteem, and depression, and also addresses related concerns like attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, and chronic illness.
How does she approach guilt and shame in sessions?
She draws on CBT, DBT, ACT, and attachment-based ideas to help people notice patterns, practice new responses, and build manageable skills for difficult feelings.
What is her professional background and experience?
She is an LPC with ten years of clinical experience and ten years of active-duty service in the U.S. Navy, where she served in substance program and victim advocacy roles.
Which credentials and location apply to her practice?
She holds the LPC credential and practices in Missouri with licensure noted as MI LPC and MO LPC in her profile.
Are sessions offered in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to schedule a session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session through the platform.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.