Therapist profile
Melissa Colton, LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor - Family and parenting concerns
Continue with MelissaAbout
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
About Melissa
Melissa Colton is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in Florida with 27 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, mood disorders, addictions, relationship and family stress, parenting strain, and issues related to identity and intimacy. Melissa also lists support for ADHD, grief, anger, career changes, and questions about life purpose.
Her approach centers on Person-Centered methods alongside cognitive and behavioral strategies. She combines Client-Centered Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) techniques to help people change unhelpful patterns. Mindfulness and existential ideas are woven in to help people notice what matters and make intentional choices.
Sessions aim to be practical. Melissa helps people identify small, doable steps to reduce distress and improve day-to-day functioning. She uses CBT tools to reframe thinking, DBT skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance, and client-focused listening to clarify goals.
She brings long experience working across many mood and stress-related difficulties. That background informs plain, direct support for common parenting and family-related strains, including dealing with guilt, shame, and compassion fatigue. The emphasis is on actionable skills and real-life adjustments rather than abstract theory.
People who prefer a collaborative, goal-oriented process may find her style helpful. She asks questions, listens, and works with each person to set priorities and test what works. To begin, readers should confirm current session options before booking.
How sessions work
How her main approaches work online
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding what matters to the person. Online sessions use that approach to help clients clarify their goals and feel heard, which can make it easier to plan next steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches tools to change unhelpful patterns. In practice this means setting small experiments, tracking thoughts, and practicing new behaviors between sessions to reduce anxiety or low mood. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and tolerating distress. Online work often includes skills teaching, role practice, and homework to apply those skills in daily life. Choosing an approach is collaborative. The therapist will review goals and preferences, try methods that fit, and adjust as needed. That collaboration helps decide whether to emphasize CBT skills, DBT techniques, mindfulness, or a client-centered focus. Practical benefits of meeting online include easier scheduling and fitting sessions into a busy day, shorter check-ins when needed, and options that reduce travel time. The original biography noted telehealth experience but did not list specific current session formats, so confirm available formats before booking to make sure they fit your routine.Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
27+ years
Listed in
Florida
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, mood disorders, addictions, relationship and family stress, parenting concerns, grief, and related issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is client-centered and practical, using CBT and DBT tools alongside mindfulness and existential ideas to set goals and learn skills for everyday life.
How much experience does she have?
She has 27 years of experience working in mental health across a wide range of mood and stress-related issues.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Florida LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) and practices in Florida.
Does she hold sessions in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
The original biography lists telehealth experience but does not specify current formats; please confirm which session formats are offered before booking.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session to begin.
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.