Works with
How Melissa works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LISW
- Licensed in
- Ohio
- Years in practice
- 8
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Melissa
Melissa Geiger-Dugandzic is a licensed independent social worker in Ohio. She brings eight years of clinical experience to conversations about stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, and self-worth. Melissa aims to create a respectful, compassionate space where people can start making steady changes.
She focuses on practical, down-to-earth strategies that fit each person's life. Sessions are shaped around the client's goals, whether that means reducing panic, managing anger, or addressing substance use.
Background and approach
She also has experience with first responder and veteran concerns and gambling-related problems. Melissa uses approaches that help people learn new skills and understand patterns. She draws from client-centered work to keep sessions collaborative and from cognitive behavioral ideas to challenge unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
Mindfulness and skills from dialectical behavior therapy are used to build emotional regulation and coping strategies. Trauma work is offered in a paced way so people feel ready to process painful memories. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is included among the methods she may use when appropriate and when the client and therapist agree it fits the goals.
Her style is straightforward and supportive. Melissa helps people set clear, manageable steps and practices between sessions. The goal is steady progress rather than instant fixes.
People who prefer an empathic, problem-solving approach often find her helpful. She works in English and provides services remotely to residents of Ohio.
What Melissa works with
Everything Melissa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Melissa's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- LGBT
- Grief
- Anger management
- Bipolar disorder
- Codependency
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- First responder issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Melissa lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that shape online sessions
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship. The therapist follows the client's lead and helps clarify goals so sessions feel relevant and supportive.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect. It uses simple exercises to change unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical coping strategies for anxiety, anger, and mood problems.
Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, offers skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better communication. These skills help when intense feelings, impulsivity, or relationship struggles get in the way of daily life.
Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will discuss options and try methods that fit the client's needs, goals, and preferences. Over time the plan can be adjusted based on what helps most.
Online work uses video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy more flexible. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and skill coaching. Phone calls can fit into busy schedules or use less data. Live chat and messaging offer quick check-ins and ongoing support between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, family, and other commitments.
Questions people ask about Melissa
What kinds of problems can be addressed here?
Support is offered for stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self esteem, depression, grief, anger, bipolar concerns, and related issues like codependency and impulsivity.
What is the therapy style like?
The approach is collaborative and down-to-earth, combining client-centered listening with skill-based work to change thoughts and behaviors.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
Melissa has eight years of professional experience working with adults on issues such as addiction, trauma, and mood concerns.
What are the therapist's credentials and location?
She holds an LISW credential and practices as a licensed independent social worker in Ohio.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
Which session formats are offered?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and routines.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and uses a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.