Dr. Melissa Chovan , LCPC, LPC

Dr. Melissa Chovan is a licensed counselor with 13 years of clinical experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate complex emotional and relational challenges. She holds LCPC and LPC credentials, indicating licensure as a professional counselor, and brings a broad background in mental health issues including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, PTSD, substance use concerns, parenting difficulties, domestic violence, sexual assault, and trauma. She also has experience addressing gender dysphoria and related concerns.

Her work history spans community mental health, state prison settings, services for at-risk youth in alternative education and residential programs, domestic violence and sexual assault programs, child protective services cases, private practice, and both online and in-person teaching. That range informs a flexible approach that adapts to each client and situation. Over the past year she has trained in three trauma-focused therapies - Brainspotting, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Accelerated Resolution Therapy - and is pursuing certification in each, reflecting a growing specialization in trauma treatment.

Beyond trauma work, Dr. Chovan integrates a variety of evidence-informed tools such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, reality therapy, family systems approaches, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Her therapeutic style is warm, respectful, and interactive, emphasizing hope, empowerment, education, and a strong therapeutic relationship as central to progress. She supports clients who want to be heard, learn, and take active steps toward positive change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dr. Chovan draws on several evidence-informed approaches to tailor care to each person. Client-centered therapy focuses on building a trusting relationship and creating a supportive space in which clients explore their feelings and goals; it is useful for people seeking understanding, self-awareness, and a collaborative, empathetic therapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps clients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors and is often effective for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) offers practical skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially helpful for intense emotions, relationship struggles, and coping under pressure.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Chovan works collaboratively with each client to assess needs, goals, and preferences and to select or combine methods that fit the situation. This collaborative planning allows therapists and clients to adjust course as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with licensed professionals offers flexibility to connect by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, family, and other commitments, reduce travel time, and support continuity of care when life circumstances change. The focus remains on practical, accessible ways to work toward clients' goals with consistent professional support.