Melanie Fikse , LPCC

Melanie Fikse is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) practicing in California with 12 years of experience supporting adults through a wide range of mental health challenges. LPCC indicates a professional license to provide clinical counseling and psychotherapy in California. She brings a trauma-informed, client-centered, and strengths-based approach to her work, helping people navigate stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, bipolar disorder, addictions, relationship and family concerns, and compassion fatigue.

Melanie earned her master’s degree from New York University and spent many years providing therapy in a community mental health clinic in New York, working with underserved populations. She later established her practice in a rural area of California where she draws calm and renewal from the surrounding natural landscape. Her clinical style blends warmth and practical skills; she is known for being compassionate and down to earth while teaching evidence-based tools that clients can use between sessions.

Her therapeutic toolkit includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused Therapy, EMDR, psychodynamic interventions, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness and meditation practices. She is experienced supporting people with significant trauma histories and is an ally of the LGBTQ community. Melanie values collaboration and aims to empower clients to access their inner strengths as they work toward meaningful change. She is not currently accepting new clients.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) invites clients to clarify what matters most to them and to take committed action toward those values while developing skills to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck by them. It is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and patterns that interfere with living a meaningful life.

Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates on understanding and processing the impact of traumatic experiences, helping people reduce trauma-related symptoms and reclaim daily functioning and safety. This work can be beneficial for those dealing with post-traumatic stress, complex trauma histories, or long-standing effects of abuse.

Client-Centered Therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of the process, using empathy, acceptance, and collaboration to support growth and self-understanding. It pairs well with skill-based strategies to create a balance of support and practical tools.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy itself. Melanie works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds. She aims to empower clients to make informed choices about their care.

Online therapy offers flexible options such as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit therapy into a busy life or to access therapists from different locations. These formats support continuity of care and allow therapists and clients to work together consistently, even when in-person sessions are not possible.