- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- CBT and ACT
- English and Spanish
About Melinna
Melinna Perez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with ten years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, eating and body image concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, and intimacy-related issues. Melinna also supports those coping with ADHD, bipolar mood concerns, compassion fatigue, and life changes. She offers care in both English and Spanish.
Melinna trained at the University of Southern California, earning a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked in a mix of settings, including outpatient and residential programs, and has experience running individual and group sessions. Her background includes work with people presenting with insomnia, addiction, relationship and parenting concerns, and eating disorders.
Her approach adapts to each person. She draws from Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) when emotions and attachment patterns are central to the concern. Melinna also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to address symptoms and everyday coping skills.
Sessions focus on clear, practical steps and on naming emotions that feel hard to describe. She often combines skill teaching with conversations about patterns in relationships and self-image. She aims to help clients notice how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and find ways to respond differently.
Outside of clinical work, Melinna enjoys music, sports, cooking, reading, meditation, and time with family and pets. To begin, people are asked to use the site matching questionnaire and schedule an initial session.
How therapeutic approaches are used in online sessions
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) is focused on helping people name and track core emotions and how those emotions affect relationship patterns. It can be useful when attachment, closeness, or recurring emotional cycles are a central concern.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) centers on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and taking actions that align with personal values. It is often used for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the client's perspective and experience. The therapist offers reflective listening and supports the client in clarifying what matters to them.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Melinna will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit best based on goals, needs, and preferences. That conversation usually takes place in early sessions and can evolve over time.
Confirm the session formats before booking since the biography does not list specific online options. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It can also let people use audio-only when video is difficult, or keep sessions during a work break. Licensed professionals adapt pacing and exercises so therapeutic methods like EFT, ACT, and CBT translate into the online setting effectively.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, eating and body image issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related concerns, anger, self-esteem, bipolar, ADHD, and related struggles.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style blends Emotionally-Focused Therapy with client-centered care. She also uses ACT, CBT, and DBT techniques to teach coping skills and address patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Melinna has ten years of clinical experience working in outpatient and residential settings and running individual and group sessions.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
Does she see clients outside the United States?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.