Melissa Buckley

(she/her)

LCSW, 5 years of experience
Warm
Authentic
Empowering
VirtualAvailable

Hi, I’m Mel B! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master’s in Social Work from Aurora University, and I specialize in helping young adults aged 18-30 manage anxiety and feel more in control of their lives. I work with anxiety related to college life, dating, relationships, making big "adult" decisions, and major life transitions. I also help clients build routines, coping skills, and self-care practices that are realistic and sustainable. My approach is warm, laid-back, and practical—focused on mindset shifts, emotional regulation, and tools you can use in everyday life rather than overly clinical therapy. I enjoy working with talkative, motivated, quirky/humorous and insightful clients who want support that feels genuine, encouraging, and empowering. Outside of sessions, I’m a wife, a cat mom of three, a Swiftie, and a caffeine lover who believes therapy should feel supportive, relatable, and even a little fun.

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

In our first session together, we'll spend time getting to know each other. I want to learn about you: your story, strengths, supports, interests, things that are important to you, and what you're looking and not looking for in a therapist. We'll explore what's led to your decision to start or resume therapy and what your goals and visions for your empowerment journey are. By the end of our time together, we'll decide if we're a good fit and if we want to move forward with working together.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

One thing I'm particularly excited about is assisting you in healing in a way that's 100% tailored to you. Our time together won't feel like regular therapy—I value building genuine connections with my clients so much; you'll truly feel like you're part of a dynamic and fabulous duo. We'll laugh, cry, and share so many victories together. I literally get chills as my clients progress and reach their goals.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

I’m here for you: the fun, caring, and motivated young adult who is ready and excited to bring real change and healing in your life.

Specialties

Top specialties

Anxiety

Coping Skills

Life Transitions

I identify as

Hispanic / Latinx

White

Woman

Serves ages

Adults (18 to 64)

Licensed in

Illinois

Accepts

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Location

Virtual

My treatment methods

Person-centered (Rogerian)

First and foremost, I see you as a person with unlocked and unlimited potential, not someone who is damaged goods. I use person-centered therapy to help you find your strengths, interests, and solutions to face your challenges head-on. You have more answers than you think- I'm here to help you find them and apply them.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to help clients notice and challenge anxious or unhelpful thoughts that may be keeping them stuck. Together, we work on reframing those thoughts into ones that feel more realistic, balanced, and supportive. I also help clients identify thinking errors—those sneaky, unhelpful thought patterns that literally all humans fall into from time to time, especially when anxiety is involved. My goal is to help you better understand your mind, feel more in control of your thoughts, and build healthier ways of responding to stress and anxiety in everyday life.

, 69 ratings

7 ratings with written reviews

March 26, 2026

I love working with Melissa! She’s so nice and welcoming and makes me feel heard :) I always look forward to meeting with her

Verified client, age 25-34
Review shared after session 3 with Melissa

March 9, 2026

She is very warm and made me feel comfortable. And I had no problems opening up myself.

Verified client, age 45-54
Review shared after session 1 with Melissa

December 12, 2025

Melissa's is a very understanding person and I'm gonna love to coming to her about any and everything:). We're gonna have so much fun:D

Verified client, age 18-24
Review shared after session 1 with Melissa