Melissa Geiger-Dugandzic

Melissa Geiger-Dugandzic is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) practicing in Ohio. She brings eight years of professional experience helping people who feel stuck by stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, low self-esteem, and depression. Melissa emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in every conversation.

She often tailors the dialog and plan to what each person needs. Sessions focus on practical steps you can try between meetings. Melissa supports people dealing with gambling and substance issues, and she has experience with first responder and veteran concerns.

Her approach blends client-centered care with methods that address thoughts, behaviors, and emotional regulation. She uses tools from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, and EMDR when appropriate. The emphasis is on skills you can use day to day, not on labels.

Melissa aims to help people increase motivation, build confidence, and reduce the grip of shame or guilt. She pays attention to dissociation, impulsivity, and controlling behaviors when those come up. The work is collaborative and paced to what feels manageable for each person.

For someone overwhelmed by anger, grief, or lingering trauma, Melissa offers steady support and practical strategies. She encourages small changes that add up over time and helps people find more effective ways to cope and move forward.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and creating a respectful space where the person sets goals and the therapist follows their lead. This approach helps people feel heard and lets the work move at their pace.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact and teaches practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often useful for anxiety, depression, and managing triggers for anger or addictive behaviors.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships through specific skills. It can help when impulsivity, intense emotions, or self-harm concerns are present.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist works collaboratively to match methods to a person's goals, symptoms, and daily life. That means trying approaches, checking what helps, and adjusting plans together.

Confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, shorten travel time, and allow brief check-ins when needed. They also let people choose a quieter setting or a lower-bandwidth option when video is difficult. Ask about session length and format when you schedule so you can pick what fits best.