Therapist profile
Melissa Torres, LCSW
Melissa Torres LCSW - Stress and Family concerns
Continue with MelissaAbout
- ACT
- CBT
- DBT skills
About Melissa
Melissa Torres is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Virginia with six years of clinical experience. She works with adults dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, grief, relationship and family concerns, and struggles with intimacy and self-esteem. Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Her style is direct and practical. She uses evidence-based methods to help people name problems and build workable skills. Common focuses include managing overwhelming emotions, coping with life changes, and addressing patterns tied to attachment, codependency, or substance use.
Melissa integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients notice what matters and change unhelpful behavior. She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness practices for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Client-centered principles guide the conversations so the person's priorities come first.
Work often involves concrete tools - behavioral experiments, thought records, values clarification, and grounding or breathing practices. Sessions may include planning steps outside therapy, practicing communication skills, or preparing for difficult conversations at home or work.
Her background includes focused work with people affected by trauma, family-of-origin problems, domestic violence, caregiver stress, and substance-related issues. She aims to help clients reduce symptoms and regain more control over daily life through steady, practical effort.
How sessions work
How her approaches are used in online sessions
Melissa often uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify what matters to them and take small, meaningful actions toward those values. ACT can be useful when someone feels stuck by worry, avoidance, or low motivation.She also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and change patterns of thinking and behavior that maintain anxiety or depression. CBT sessions usually include practical exercises like thought records or behavioral experiments that can be practiced between meetings.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss your goals, preferences, and day-to-day demands to choose which methods to emphasize. That decision is collaborative and may shift as needs change.
The specific session formats available with Melissa are not listed here, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy household schedule, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time so therapy fits around work and caregiving. Therapists typically adapt exercises and homework so they work in everyday life, whether you need brief skills practice or more in-depth processing.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Virginia
Languages
English, Spanish
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, relationship and family concerns, grief, and issues with self-esteem and intimacy.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is practical and skill-focused, using client-centered conversations alongside evidence-based tools to address emotional and behavioral patterns.
How much experience does she have?
She has six years of clinical experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Virginia and works with clients in that state.
Does she offer sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions paid for?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.