Melissa Pitts Johnson , LPC

Melissa Pitts Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Oklahoma with 16 years of clinical experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, and career or life transitions. She also focuses on issues people face around relationships, intimacy, parenting, and self-esteem. Her approach is direct and collaborative. Sessions emphasize listening first, then practical steps that fit each person’s life. She uses client-centered work to build trust and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits. Melissa blends structured problem-solving with mindfulness practices. That can mean short mindfulness exercises in session or tools to manage sleep and panic symptoms between meetings. She also uses motivational interviewing to support people who are wrestling with change. Her background includes work in community mental health, tribal behavioral health, and private practice. That mix informs a flexible style that adapts to different needs and cultural contexts. She also brings experience supporting people through trauma and addiction-related challenges. People meet her for straightforward coaching around goals, help coping with compassion fatigue or first responder stress, and support through major life changes. The tone in her sessions is warm and practical, aimed at small, manageable steps toward relief and clearer direction.

How her approaches translate to online care

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting relationship. In practice this means sessions begin with the therapist asking about what matters most to the client and shaping the work around personal goals. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a hands-on method for spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors; it often uses homework like thought records or behavior experiments to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, or manage mood. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus, which can help with panic, stress, and sleep difficulties.

Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will talk through options, try techniques together, and adjust based on what helps most. Clients and therapist set goals and pick methods that fit the client’s needs and preferences rather than sticking to a single style.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls let the therapist and client work face to face when demonstration or guided exercises are helpful. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when a client prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, coaching-style support, or follow-up between sessions. These options offer flexibility to fit therapy into work, family, and travel schedules while keeping the focus on practical progress.