Melissa Chairez
(she/her)
New to Grow
Hi, I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adolescents and young adults navigating anxiety, stress, and challenges related to school, college, family, relationships, and everyday life. I have experience supporting teens and young adults through difficult emotions, life transitions, academic pressures, and the challenges that can come with adolescence and early adulthood. My goal is to create a supportive and nonjudgmental space where clients feel comfortable, heard, and understood. I take a practical, strengths-based approach to help clients build coping skills, manage stress, improve emotional awareness, and feel more confident in their daily lives and relationships.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, we'll focus on getting to know each other and creating a space where you feel comfortable sharing your experiences. I'll ask questions to better understand what brings you to therapy, the challenges you're facing, your strengths, and what you'd like to accomplish. Together, we'll discuss your goals and begin identifying ways to support your well-being—whether that's managing anxiety, coping with stress, navigating school or college-related challenges, improving relationships, building confidence, or developing healthier coping skills. There is no pressure to share everything right away; you can move at a pace that feels comfortable for you. My goal is for the first session to feel supportive, collaborative, and encouraging so that you leave with a clearer understanding of how we can work together to help you move toward your goals.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
One of my greatest strengths is my ability to build strong, genuine connections with adolescents and young adults. I strive to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe, heard, and comfortable being themselves. My approach is practical, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based practices, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), strength-based interventions, and supportive therapy. I help clients better understand their thoughts and emotions, develop healthy coping skills, manage anxiety and stress, and navigate life's challenges with greater confidence. I focus on providing tools and strategies that clients can realistically apply in their everyday lives, empowering them to make meaningful and lasting changes both in and outside of therapy.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work best with adolescents and young adults who are experiencing anxiety, stress, life transitions, academic pressures, self-esteem concerns, and challenges related to family, relationships, or everyday responsibilities. Many of the clients I support feel overwhelmed, struggle with overthinking, have difficulty managing emotions, or find themselves feeling stuck as they navigate school, college, work, or major life changes. I enjoy working with clients who are motivated to better understand themselves, develop healthy coping skills, improve confidence, and create positive changes in their lives. Whether they are adjusting to high school, transitioning to college, navigating young adulthood, or managing ongoing stress and anxiety, I strive to provide a supportive and nonjudgmental environment where they feel comfortable being themselves. With my background in school-based mental health, I have a strong understanding of the academic, social, and family pressures that adolescents and young adults face. My goal is to help clients build practical skills, increase self-awareness, and feel more confident in their ability to navigate challenges and achieve their personal goals.
Specialties
Top specialties
Anxiety
Coping Skills
Life Transitions
Other specialties
Career Counseling
Child or Adolescent
Depression
I identify as
Hispanic / Latinx
Woman
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Teenagers (13 to 17)
Licensed in
California
Accepts
All Savers
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help adolescents and young adults understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we identify unhelpful thought patterns and develop healthier, more balanced ways of thinking while building practical coping skills to manage anxiety, stress, life transitions, and other emotional challenges. My goal is to help clients gain insight into their experiences and apply these skills in their daily lives so they feel more confident, resilient, and capable of navigating challenges both now and in the future.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Therapy techniques to help adolescents and young adults identify goals and work toward realistic, achievable changes. Rather than focusing solely on problems, I help clients recognize their strengths, build on past successes, and identify practical steps they can take to move forward. This approach encourages clients to develop solutions that fit their unique circumstances while fostering confidence, resilience, and a sense of empowerment. By focusing on progress and what is working, clients often feel more hopeful and motivated to create meaningful change in their daily lives.
Strength-Based
My approach is rooted in a strengths-based perspective, meaning I focus on helping adolescents and young adults recognize and build upon the strengths they already possess rather than focusing solely on challenges or symptoms. I believe it is important for clients to feel heard, supported, and empowered throughout the therapeutic process. I work collaboratively with clients to identify personal strengths, supportive relationships, effective coping skills, and past successes that can serve as resources when navigating life's challenges. I believe that every person has resilience and the capacity for growth, even during difficult times. My role is to help clients build confidence, increase self-awareness, and develop practical tools that support lasting emotional well-being and personal growth.
Supportive
I provide a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where adolescents and young adults feel comfortable openly sharing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation for meaningful growth, and I strive to create a space where clients feel heard, understood, validated, and supported. Through a supportive therapy approach, I help clients process challenges related to anxiety, stress, school or college pressures, family dynamics, relationships, and life transitions. I offer guidance, encouragement, and practical support while helping clients strengthen coping skills, increase emotional awareness, build self-confidence, and navigate challenges more effectively.