Melissa Madriaga is a Licensed Professional Counselor who helps people manage anxiety, depression, stress, and changes in life.
01About Melissa
Melissa Madriaga is a Licensed Professional Counselor who helps people manage anxiety, depression, stress, and changes in life. She focuses on practical steps that make day-to-day life feel more manageable. Melissa writes plainly and listens closely so people can talk through what matters most to them.
She draws on eight years of counseling experience and has worked in community settings supporting people facing homelessness and incarceration. Her background includes service in the United States Army Reserves and a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University.
Background and approach
Melissa brings that mix of community experience and clinical training to her sessions. In sessions she uses client-centered methods to build trust and cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness practices are introduced to help with stress and emotional regulation, while narrative approaches can help people reshape painful stories about themselves.
Melissa often works with concerns such as eating and food-related issues, body image, addictions, relationship and communication problems, trauma and abuse, parenting stress, anger, and coping with life transitions. She also addresses topics like guilt, shame, isolation, money worries, and questions about life purpose. Her approach is collaborative and straightforward.
Melissa aims to help people find concrete tools they can use between sessions. She lives in Wisconsin and integrates practical life experience into her counseling style.
02Credentials
- LPC (Wisconsin)
- License 7586-125 · expires February 2027
- NPI
- 1962160234 · national provider identifier
Both are public records. A state board register will confirm a license and its standing, and the national registry will confirm an NPI. This directory copies what the counselor lists and checks neither.
03Focus areas and approaches
Everything Melissa lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Coping with life changes
- Abandonment
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Eating and food-related issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
Methods Melissa names
These are the methods Melissa names on their own professional profile. Naming an approach is not evidence of training or certification in it, and this directory checks no training records. Ask directly if it matters to you.
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04Online support
How Melissa’s Approaches Work Online
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person in front of the therapist. It helps people feel heard and guides the process at a pace that fits their needs.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts affect feelings and actions. It teaches practical steps to change unhelpful thinking and build healthier routines for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Melissa will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences. She adapts techniques over time based on how well they help the person reach concrete goals.
Online sessions offer flexibility in how people connect. Video calls let people use face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions are a good option when lower bandwidth is needed or a shorter check-in fits the day. Live chat and text-based messaging can be useful for regular check-ins, quick coping reminders, or when someone prefers typed communication.
These formats make it easier to fit counseling into busy lives and to keep momentum between appointments while working toward measurable changes.
05Questions people ask
What concerns does Melissa typically help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, eating and body image issues, addictions, trauma and abuse, anger, and coping with life changes, among other concerns.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Sessions are collaborative and down-to-earth, using client-centered listening alongside cognitive behavioral and mindfulness tools to teach practical skills.
What is her background and experience?
Melissa has eight years of counseling experience, has worked with people experiencing homelessness and incarceration, and served in the United States Army Reserves for seven years.
Where is she licensed and practicing?
She holds a Wisconsin Licensed Professional Counselor credential and practices from Wisconsin.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available online?
Sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
How does cost and billing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with scheduling?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
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