About me
I am an experienced Social Worker with an LCSW and a demonstrated history of working with parents, adolescents and adults in agencies and private practice. I am also a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional which is helpful when working with people managing anxiety and mood disorders.
I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Southern Illinois University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams School of Social Work. I continually work to grow and improve my practice by researching, finding and providing effective supports and using the most current, best-practices in the field. Using a strengths-based approach with Cognitive Behavior Theory, Person-Centered counseling approaches and the integration of other approaches, such as Solution Focused Therapy, I work with clients to find more positive, effective social and coping skills, they begin to see improvements in their relationships and their positive connectedness to the community.
I specialize in working with adolescents who have difficulty with self-esteem, depression, trauma, anxiety, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and behavior management.
I have a special interest in working with adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum disorders and use Social Thinking approach to assist clients in their social communication skills. Further I have extensive experience working with those who have experienced trauma to help them to learn distress tolerance, emotion regulation and how to incorporate mindfulness and other coping strategies in order to manage their relationships and functioning in life in a healthier way.
My focus is on the well-being of clients, and work with them to set goals to improve life functioning.
I am told that I am warm and approachable and would I love to work with you to improve your life!
Specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Depression
Addictions , Family conflicts , Grief , Anger management , Self esteem , Bipolar disorder , ADHD , Abandonment , Adoption and Foster Care , Autism and Asperger Syndrome , Caregiver Issues and Stress , Codependency , Read more...
Clinical approaches:
Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
Years of Experience: 28
Services offered
Messaging
Live Chat
Phone
Video
Licensing
IL LCSW 149.023864
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Melissa Williams. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with Teen Counseling might be different.
Melissa Williams is punctual, caring, and has great intuition when conversing. She is great at prompting conversation, listening, validating, and challenging. Through all of this, she is a very respectful therapist.
Great therapist
So far better health therapy has been better than expected
Awesome therapist and easy to talk to! highly recommend!
Melissa is such an amazing therapist! She is very skilled with her approach and has such patience with listening and giving wise valuable feedback. She is also full of resources that helps to aid you through your life journey. I would recommend her expertise as a therapist to anyone in need of an authentic wise counselor.
Melissa has been absolutely wonderful. She is a great listener, understanding, always giving relevant advice and tools that I can use in my daily life. I highly recommend her!
Melissa is a wonderful therapist that helps me meet goals, set boundaries and meets me at my need levels. Very happy with teencounseling.com
Having Melissa as my therapist had help me learned no matter what I go through in life I can conquer. Keeping a an open mind to new experiences and always growing from what I go through in life. Melissa has a kind loving heart making you feel welcomed. I can say that feel more confident about my abilities to conquer any challenge that comes my way. Melissa helped me realize as long as you believe in yourself you can do anything you set your mind to!
Melissa is a God send! She’s been the most perfect fit for me! Very supportive, kind, and truly thoughtful. She came into my life right when I needed her and has been exactly what I needed to help me get though challenging times.
Just had to take time out to say thank you. Whatever you’re doing Melissa please keep it up. My daughter texted me, “I love my therapist “this morning. And it truly blessed my day. First time she’s ever said. I’m happy we found you.
Melissa is so knowledgeable and truly cares about the well being of every person she counsels. She’s so easy to talk to and connect with! During our sessions, I find myself feeling safe and care for, she directs the session to truly work on drilling down on the root issue and focuses on healing. I’m so grateful for her, You won't be disappointed in meeting with her!
Melissa is a BLESSING!!
Melissa Williams is absolutely wonderful. So supportive and helpful.
I have seen many therapists in my life and I connect with Melissa in a way I've never connected with my other therapists. She was the first counselor I got with teencounseling.com. I really love the virtual connection teencounseling.com provides so I can travel anywhere and still be connected with Melissa.
Melissa is exactly what I needed to build my faith and is an excellent listening ear. She is very non-judgmental, but will be frank when you need it. She is supportive, has humor, and understands and validates my feelings when thats all I need sometimes. She is well versed in therapeutic techniques and encourages me to reframe my negative thoughts with examples when I am struggling. I am so grateful that I was able to start therapy with her. She is also pretty flexible with her session flexibility (she's accommodated my preferred time of day so that I don't have to skip a week) and conducting sessions via video/audio/livechat. I would highly recommend her as a therapist and always appreciate her input during (and between) sessions.
Melissa has been extremely helpful in guiding me towards living a life with grace and ease. She is very supportive and helps me work through my feelings.
Melissa has been great so far. We’ve only had two sessions so far, so I don’t feel it’s been enough time to give a fully educated review. So far I am satisfied and look forward to continuing with her.
she’s very kind and understanding, seems like she knows her stuff and is very upfront with the process.
Melissa has been great at understanding where I am in the process and meeting me there. She actively listens and responds with ways that are very helpful.
I’ve only been working with her for about 2 weeks so far. But I really enjoy her style and her support. She responds rather fast or she tells you when she has a family event. (Which I absolutely love) she doesn’t just leave you in the dark. I look forward to working with her more.
Very supportive and helpful
Melissa is a strong Christian and I am absolutely grateful that she’s my therapist. She’s knowledgeable and so very helpful.