- Person-centered approach
- Bilingual English Spanish
- Practical skills focus
About Melinna
Melinna Perez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with ten years of clinical experience. She offers a warm, direct style and focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, mood concerns, eating and body image issues, and relationship or intimacy-related struggles. Melinna speaks English and Spanish and uses straightforward language in sessions to make each meeting useful and clear.
She earned a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree from the University of Southern California and dual bachelors in Psychology and English from Mount St. Mary’s University. Melinna has worked in both residential and outpatient settings, and she has experience leading individual and group therapy in office and online environments.
Her approach adapts to the needs of each person. She often draws from client-centered methods to meet people where they are. She also uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and emotionally-focused approaches when they fit the client’s goals.
In sessions she encourages honesty, emotional expression, and practical steps toward change. She can help with grief, trauma and abuse, coping with life changes, ADHD-related concerns, compassion fatigue, and questions about gender or sexual identity. Melinna aims to make therapy a space where people can try new ways of relating and practicing self-care.
Outside of clinical work she enjoys music, sports, reading, cooking, meditating, and time with family and pets. She invites people to begin with a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to her availability.
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people clarify their values and take action consistent with those values while learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings. It often helps with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful patterns; it is useful for anxiety, mood concerns, and eating-related issues. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centers on understanding and changing emotional responses to improve close relationships and intimacy-related concerns.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what has or has not worked before. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as work progresses.
For practical matters, confirm current session options before booking since formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy routine, shorten travel time, and let people meet from a familiar location. It can also allow quick check-ins or a mix of session rhythms to suit changing schedules. Licensed professionals, including therapists, can tailor session pacing and tools to match day-to-day life and responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Credentials
California
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, eating and body image issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, and related challenges such as ADHD and compassion fatigue.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her style is client-centered and adaptable, using clear language, emotional validation, and practical skills to help people make changes that fit their lives.
What is her background and experience?
She has ten years of clinical experience and has worked in residential and outpatient settings, offering individual and group therapy in both office and online contexts.
What credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California and practices there.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work together?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.