LPC, LMFT
Melanie Barefield, LPC, LMFT
- Experience8 years
- LocationGeorgia
- Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Family, and Trauma and abuse
- Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Review online therapy options and next steps on BetterHelp.
About Melanie
Melanie Barefield is a licensed counselor and marriage and family therapist who blends Internal Family Systems (IFS) with trauma-informed and evidence-based techniques to address relationship and personal challenges.
Background and approach
With eight years of clinical experience, she supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, mood concerns such as bipolar, grief, trauma and abuse, and relationship difficulties. Melanie also works with issues like parenting strain, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and family of origin patterns that influence day-to-day functioning.
She draws on a range of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based methods, Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma-Focused practices to tailor treatment to each client.
Her training in marriage and family therapy informs a systems perspective that looks at how individuals operate within families and relationships, and she has worked in residential treatment, in-home counseling, church-based, and hospital settings. Melanie emphasizes collaborative care, beginning by listening to clarify goals and then partnering with clients to develop practical steps toward change.
Melanie holds LPC and LMFT credentials and practices in Georgia. She welcomes clients who are seeking to improve communication, manage difficult emotions, heal from past harms, or rebuild connection in relationships, and she frames therapy as a guided process toward clearer patterns and sustainable coping.
Integrating approaches for online healing and connection
Internal Family Systems focuses on identifying and working with the different parts of a person’s inner world to reduce internal conflict and promote self-leadership; it can be especially useful for clients wrestling with trauma, shame, or recurring emotional patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify values, accept difficult internal experiences, and commit to behavior changes that align with what matters most, which supports coping with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy explores relational patterns formed early in life and aims to strengthen emotional bonds and improve communication in close relationships.
Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Melanie treats this as a collaborative exploration. She works with clients to assess needs, preferences, and goals, then tailors interventions from these models so the work feels practical and meaningful rather than one-size-fits-all.
Online therapy with her offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it possible to continue consistent care while balancing work, family, and other commitments, and they allow licensed professionals to provide focused interventions and skills coaching regardless of a client’s physical location.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Licensed
Georgia, Georgia
Languages
English