Melinna Perez

Melinna Perez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California with ten years of clinical experience. She greets people with warmth and directness, encouraging anyone who is worried to take the first step toward support. Her work often addresses stress, anxiety, depression, eating and body image concerns, and anger-related challenges. She speaks English and Spanish and aims to make therapy a straightforward part of everyday life.

Her background includes a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy from USC and dual bachelor degrees in Psychology and English from Mount St. Mary’s University. Over the last decade she has worked in outpatient and residential settings and has led both individual and group sessions. That range gives her practical experience with trauma, grief, bipolar mood concerns, ADHD, and relationship and parenting topics.

Melinna adapts the method to the person. She often draws from person-centered practices that prioritize listening and meeting people where they are. She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques and dialectical skills to help manage strong emotions and change unhelpful patterns.

Sessions tend to focus on clear, usable skills and honest conversation. She helps people name what matters, test small changes, and build new habits that fit daily life. For people coping with identity questions, grief, trauma, or recurring anger, she aims to create a space to be candid and to try things that make a difference.

Outside of sessions she enjoys music, cooking, time with family and pets, and meditation. To begin, readers are invited to use the site’s Start Therapy button and complete the short matching questionnaire to schedule a session.

How certain approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take small steps toward those values even when uncomfortable emotions arise. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and anger when someone wants concrete ways to act on what matters. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. It often includes specific exercises and homework that can be practiced between sessions to reduce anxiety or change eating and body image patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to choose and adapt methods to fit a person’s goals, preferences, and life demands. That might mean mixing ACT and CBT techniques or prioritizing skills from dialectical behavior therapy when emotion regulation is needed.

Confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, save travel time, and let people check in between other responsibilities. They also allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or for doing exercises together on a screen when that helps progress. Ask about session length and format during the matching process so options match practical needs.