Melissa Lehrich

Practical therapy grounded in CBT and compassion

LCSW California

Experience: 25 years in practice
Focus areas: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse
Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Languages: English

About Melissa

Melissa Lehrich brings a cognitive behavioral approach to her practice, blending evidence-based techniques with a compassionate, individualized style. As an LCSW licensed in California, she draws on 25 years of clinical experience to help clients navigate stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and intimacy-related concerns.

Background and approach

Her work also addresses depression, sleep problems, parenting challenges, anger, self-esteem, and career transitions, adapting interventions to each person’s circumstances and goals. In addition to core concerns, Melissa focuses on communication problems, control issues, forgiveness, guilt and shame, hospice and end-of-life counseling, isolation and loneliness, and questions of life purpose.

She incorporates DBT skills for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness and uses EMDR for trauma processing when appropriate. Melissa emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion while collaborating with clients to develop a practical plan that fits their needs.

Clients who choose her practice can expect tailored dialog and a supportive therapeutic partnership aimed at clearer coping strategies and meaningful change. She encourages the courage it takes to seek support and offers steady guidance through life's transitions and challenges.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

Melissa uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and change unhelpful thought and behavior patterns; CBT often focuses on practical strategies to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and address everyday challenges. She also draws from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which teaches skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improved interpersonal effectiveness, useful for strong emotions and relationship strain. When trauma is a central concern, she may incorporate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to support processing of traumatic memories in a paced way.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to explore symptoms, goals, and preferences and then tailor techniques from CBT, DBT, or EMDR as appropriate. That partnership helps ensure methods match the client's needs rather than applying a single fixed model.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and accessibility for people with varied schedules and locations. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care during life transitions, travel, or busy routines while allowing therapists to deliver structured skills training and trauma-informed work remotely.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she address?

She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy issues, trauma and abuse, depression, sleep problems, parenting, anger, self-esteem, career decisions, and coping with life changes, along with related topics like communication problems and grief.

What therapeutic style can I expect during sessions?

Her work draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and EMDR when appropriate, focusing on practical skills, emotion regulation, and trauma processing tailored to each person.

How much clinical experience does she have?

Melissa has 25 years of professional experience providing mental health services across a range of concerns and populations.

Where is she licensed and based?

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the California license LCSW 22783 and practices from California.

Are sessions available in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English, and she also accepts international clients for remote work.

What session formats are offered for online work?

She conducts video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexible options for ongoing care.

How is pricing handled for sessions?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.

What are the first steps to begin therapy?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a session according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesDepression

Also works with

Sleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

Communication problemsControl issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIsolation / lonelinessLife purposePanic disorder and panic attacks Post-traumatic stressSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobia

Therapeutic approaches

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Experience

25+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English