Melissa Cruz is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) practicing in South Florida. She received her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Miami, and Bachelor’s in Psychology from Florida International University. She has spent the last ten years studying psychology and mental health. She is a member of Psi Chi, the National Honors Society in Psychology.
Born and raised in Miami, Melissa is a bilingual therapist that has experience working with adults, adolescents, families, and groups. She has worked with clients to address a variety of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, sexuality and gender identity issues, addiction, family relations, life transitions, and immigration trauma. Her therapeutic approach is culturally competent and trauma informed. During the pandemic, she has expanded her services to include both in-person and virtual therapy sessions. More recently, she has served as a therapist at the University of Miami working with adolescents and families. Prior to this, she spent time as a therapist at a residential treatment center working with adults in recovery from addiction and other mental health issues.
Melissa’s approach includes building a collaborative relationship with her clients; empowering them to make the necessary changes in their lives. She does this by utilizing a person-centered and cognitive approach, focused on finding skills and approaches that work for them personally. Her clients often bring a variety of concerns to therapy around identity, family, self-worth, belonging and body image, among other topics. Her focus involves providing a safe space that is secure, culturally-aware, and compassionate.
