- Years in practice
- 25
- Credentials
- LCSW
- Licensed in
- Maine, New Hampshire
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Family conflicts
- Focus
- Trauma and abuse
About Melissa
Melissa Fernald is a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction care. She practices from Maine and brings practical, down-to-earth support to people facing parenting stress and many related struggles. Melissa aims to make therapy focused and usable rather than long and overwhelming.
She prefers a strength-based, solution-oriented style. Sessions center on what already helps and add small, doable skills to handle hard moments.
Background and approach
She is calm and direct, and she values honesty and a little humor when appropriate. Melissa has worked in hospitals, community programs, and independent practice settings. That range has given her experience with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, depression, ADHD, addiction, and relationship and intimacy concerns.
She also supports people coping with parenting challenges, blended family issues, caregiver strain, and major life changes. In the room she uses practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy alongside attachment-informed ideas and skills from dialectical behavior therapy. The focus is on clear strategies you can apply between sessions.
Melissa aims for each meeting to leave people feeling a bit more capable. People who prefer a straightforward, compassionate clinician may find her approach a good fit. She helps clients clarify goals, practice new responses, and track progress over time.
The work is collaborative, with attention to the real demands of daily family life.
What Melissa works with
Everything Melissa lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Melissa helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Depression
- ADHD
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Melissa lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- 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.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while taking steps that match their values. It can help with anxiety, stress, and decisions that feel stuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy breaks bigger problems into smaller parts and teaches practical skills to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors; it is often used for depression, anxiety, and parenting challenges.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Melissa will work with each person to identify goals and preferences, then try strategies that match those aims. Sessions can be adjusted over time based on what is helping and what is realistic for daily life.
Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit into busy schedules. Video is useful for longer, skill-focused work and role play. Phone calls can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and messaging allow brief, on-the-go check-ins and ongoing skills practice between sessions. These options give flexibility for parents and caregivers balancing many responsibilities.
Questions people ask about Melissa
What concerns does Melissa commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addiction, ADHD, relationship and intimacy issues, eating concerns, parenting stress, anger, self-esteem, career challenges, and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is calm, nonjudgmental, and practical. She uses strength-based and solution-focused methods to build on what already works for you.
What is her background and experience?
Melissa has 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction settings, including hospitals, community programs, and independent practice.
What credentials and region does she hold?
She is a licensed clinical social worker - LCSW - with licenses in Maine and New Hampshire, and she practices from Maine.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are offered?
Sessions can be scheduled as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs and routines.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
More therapists for parents in Maine
All in Maine
Tami Labul
LCSW
Maine 20 years in practice
Accessible LCSW focused on practical parenting support
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
Heather Revill
LPC, LCPC
Maine 12 years in practice
Practical, compassionate counseling for parents and adults
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Depression
Stephen Dexter
LCPC
Maine 12 years in practice
Supporting parents through addiction and family stress
- Addictions
- Relationship
- Family