- Anger management skills
- Addiction coping tools
- Mindfulness practice
About Melissa
Melissa Geiger-Dugandzic is an Ohio licensed independent social worker (LISW) with eight years of professional experience. She works with adults on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, motivation, self-esteem, and depression. Melissa also addresses issues such as grief, anger, bipolar mood concerns, and LGBT-related matters.
She has supported first responders and veterans and has experience with gambling and substance-related addictions. Melissa uses straightforward conversation to identify what is causing pressure or impulsive behavior. She helps people notice patterns and try different responses in day-to-day life.
Her approach draws on client-centered listening alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy tools. She also brings in EMDR and mindfulness when those methods fit what someone needs. Sessions focus on practical skills, thinking patterns, and emotional regulation exercises people can use outside the session.
Melissa prefers to design the plan in collaboration with each person. That means setting small, achievable steps and checking how they work in real situations. She attends to feelings like guilt, shame, isolation, and control issues while addressing the behaviors that keep problems going.
People who seek help for anger often want clearer limits, fewer impulsive reactions, or less buildup of resentment. Melissa helps clients look at what triggers those reactions and practices alternative responses. The work emphasizes steady change through concrete practice rather than quick fixes.
Approaches used in online sessions
Client-centered work focuses on listening and on what matters most to the person. It starts with clear goals and practical steps chosen together, helping clients feel heard while moving toward change.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and test different ways of thinking. It is useful for anxiety, depression, and patterns that feed anger or impulsive actions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills are often used when someone wants fewer reactive outbursts or steadier mood control.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will review concerns, goals, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they choose a mix of techniques and adjust them as progress is made, keeping the plan practical and goal-focused.
Confirm current session formats before booking so you know how appointments are held. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, shorten travel time, and allow quicker check-ins when small issues arise between in-person visits. Therapists can guide practice exercises between meetings so skills become part of daily life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Ohio
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, depression, grief, anger, bipolar concerns, and related issues such as codependency and impulsivity.
How would she approach anger or temper issues?
Her style blends client-centered listening with CBT and DBT techniques to identify triggers, practice emotion regulation, and try alternative responses in everyday situations.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years of professional experience working with adults, including first responders and veterans, and people with gambling or substance-related addictions.
What are her credentials and location?
She is an OH LISW, licensed in Ohio, and practices with that credential.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Confirm current session options before booking to be sure about formats and how sessions are scheduled.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies by location; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a first session.