Melanie Payne
Hi, I’m Melanie! I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adults navigating anxiety, stress, life transitions, and the pressure of balancing everything life can bring. I especially enjoy working with professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, students, and individuals with nontraditional careers or lifestyles who may look like they have it all together but still feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure about what comes next. My approach is warm, collaborative, and solution-focused. Together, we’ll identify what isn’t working, build practical tools, and create realistic steps toward a life that feels more balanced, intentional, and aligned with you.
First session
Your first session is about getting to know you — not having everything figured out. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what’s been happening in your life, and what you’d like to be different. I’ll ask questions to better understand your experiences, strengths, challenges, and goals, while giving you space to ask questions and get a feel for whether we’re a good fit for one another. By the end of our session, we’ll begin identifying what you’d like to focus on and what moving forward looks like. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, supported, and a little clearer about where we’re headed together.
Strengths
I bring warmth, curiosity, and a practical, solution-focused perspective to my sessions. I’m a strong listener, but I also believe therapy should help you move forward. I’ll help you identify patterns, explore what may be keeping you stuck, and turn those insights into realistic steps you can use outside of therapy. I also understand that life doesn’t always fit neatly into a traditional box. Whether you’re balancing a demanding career, navigating school, building a business, pursuing a creative path, or simply trying to figure out your next chapter, I meet you where you are. My goal is to create a space where you can be yourself, talk honestly, and leave with greater clarity about where you want to go next.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is ready for change but may need support figuring out what that change looks like. You may be navigating anxiety, stress, burnout, people-pleasing, a career or school transition, relationship changes, or simply questioning what you want your next chapter to look like. I especially enjoy working with professionals, students, entrepreneurs, creatives, and people whose careers or lifestyles don’t always follow a traditional path. You may be someone others depend on or someone who appears to have everything together, while internally you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or stretched too thin. You don’t have to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. What matters most is a willingness to be honest, curious, and actively engaged in the process. If you’re looking for a collaborative space where you can gain clarity, develop practical tools, strengthen boundaries, and take meaningful steps forward, we may be a great fit.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we identify patterns that may be contributing to anxiety, stress, self-doubt, or feeling stuck and explore more helpful ways of responding. My approach to CBT is practical and collaborative. Rather than simply telling you to “think differently,” we’ll look at what’s happening in real-life situations, challenge thoughts or beliefs that may no longer be serving you, and develop strategies you can practice outside of therapy. The goal is to help you feel more confident navigating challenges and making changes that align with the life you want to create.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to help clients focus not only on what’s challenging, but also on where they want to go next. Together, we identify your strengths, recognize what’s already working, and break larger goals into realistic, manageable steps. This approach is especially helpful when you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or navigating a transition and need greater clarity about your next move. Rather than spending every session focused solely on the problem, we’ll also pay attention to progress, build on your successes, and identify practical changes that can help you move toward the life you want.
Motivational Interviewing
I use Motivational Interviewing to help clients explore change at their own pace, especially when they feel stuck, uncertain, or pulled in different directions. Rather than telling you what you “should” do, we’ll explore what matters most to you, identify what may be getting in the way, and strengthen your confidence in making decisions that align with your goals and values. This approach allows us to work collaboratively while helping you find your own motivation and create meaningful, realistic steps toward change.
Location
Virtual sessions
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Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 129071