- Client-Centered approach
- Solution-Focused methods
- Career planning tools
About Melissa
Melissa Upton is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi with 14 years of counseling experience. She works with adults on issues such as stress, anxiety, relationship trouble, anger, low self-esteem, depression, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related concerns, parenting, career questions, and coping with life changes.
She spent many years as a school counselor and brings that practical experience into one-on-one work. Melissa emphasizes straightforward conversations about what is happening now and what the client wants to change. She uses Client-Centered and Solution-Focused approaches to keep sessions focused and useful.
In practice she helps people notice patterns that increase frustration and builds small, concrete steps to change them. Sessions can include talking through communication problems, role practice for difficult conversations, and planning steps to reduce recurring conflicts. She also uses career planning tools such as the RIASEC model when career or academic decisions come up.
Melissa draws on long experience working with adolescents in school settings, and she is shifting to more individual counseling across broader age groups. Her background includes work on anger management, coping skills, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and relationship problems seen in schools.
Her style is collaborative and results-oriented. She encourages practical self-help strategies between sessions. To start, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session to set goals and priorities.
How her approaches translate to online work
Melissa uses Client-Centered Therapy to focus on the client’s goals and perspectives. This approach centers conversations on what matters to the client and helps them set priorities for change. It is useful for anger linked to relationships, self-esteem, or life transitions.She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy to identify small, practical steps that move a person toward their goals. That method looks for existing strengths and past successes to build quick, manageable changes for problems like workplace frustration or recurring arguments.
Choosing the right method is part of the process. She works with clients to decide which approach or mix of approaches best fits their goals, needs, and preferences. That decision is collaborative and can change as progress is made.
Confirm session formats before booking because specific online options were not listed in the profile. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, or let people join without travel time. Ask about the session options when you complete the matching questionnaire so arrangements match your schedule and how you prefer to work.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
14+ years
Listed in
Mississippi
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to anger?
She supports people dealing with anger, relationship conflict, control issues, resentment, and communication problems.
How would she approach work on temper and frustration?
Her style is client-centered and solution-focused, focusing on clear goals, practical steps, and communication practice to reduce anger-driven patterns.
How much experience does she bring to this work?
She has 14 years of counseling experience and 25 years working in the public school system in Mississippi.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Mississippi and holds an MS and Specialist's degree in School Counseling from Mississippi State University.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
Confirm current session options before booking since formats were not specified in the profile.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule your first session.