About Melissa
Melissa Carriveau, LICSW, brings 20 years of professional experience to brief, practical therapy for people feeling overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. She focuses on building confidence and motivation while helping clients cope with grief, life changes, and compassion fatigue. Her style is straightforward and respectful, aimed at helping people take steady steps toward feeling better.
Melissa centers sessions on each person’s strengths and life story. She treats the client as the expert on their own life and helps them use what already works.
Background and approach
Conversations are geared toward setting realistic goals and trying out small, doable changes between sessions. She often helps people who are rethinking life purpose or navigating a midlife shift. Melissa also supports those working on self-love, women’s issues, and workplace challenges.
Sessions balance emotional support with practical strategies to manage daily stress. Her approach is collaborative and paced to what the client needs. She encourages people to take small steps and notices progress along the way.
Sessions aim to leave people with tools they can use outside therapy. Melissa practices from Massachusetts and works with English speakers, including international clients. She offers a compassionate, no-surprises way to explore what matters most and to find better ways to cope with anxiety and life transitions.
Approaches that meet anxiety and life change online
Melissa uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that emphasize clear skills and steady practice. One approach focuses on building coping skills for anxiety and stress through short exercises and real-world practice; this helps people manage racing thoughts and reduce overwhelm in daily life. Another approach emphasizes exploring values and life purpose to guide decisions and increase motivation; that work can help during midlife shifts or when someone feels stuck.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust them as needed so therapy stays useful and relevant.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different routines. Video allows face-to-face conversation when more depth is needed. Phone works well when bandwidth is limited or a quick check-in is easier. Live chat and messaging are useful for shorter reflections, ongoing support between sessions, or when writing feels more comfortable. These options make it simpler to keep therapy consistent around work, family, and travel.
Questions people ask
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What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- Massachusetts
- Languages
- English
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