Therapist in Bloomfield, New Jersey Melissa Pagan, Therapist

Melissa Pagan, a Marriage & Family Therapist at LifeStance Health, helps children, adolescents, teens, adults, and seniors across New Jersey navigate emotional challenges, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful, lasting change. She provides individual, couples, and family therapy in a supportive and collaborative environment, helping clients work through anxiety, depression, and stress while building practical skills to improve overall mental health and daily functioning. Melissa specializes in anxiety, depression, and couples issues, offering care that is both compassionate and grounded in evidence-based practices. She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and couples/marital counseling to help clients better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Her approach focuses on enhancing emotional regulation, improving communication, and developing healthier coping strategies. She offers additional areas of expertise to address a wide range of mental health concerns. Melissa is experienced in working with diverse populations, including individuals within the LGBTQ+ community and those connected to adoption or foster care experiences. She provides an inclusive, affirming therapeutic space where clients feel heard and supported. Her work also emphasizes navigating life transitions, strengthening self-esteem, and processing trauma in a way that fosters resilience and long-term well-being. Her therapeutic style blends empathy with practical guidance, empowering clients to take an active role in their healing journey. She values building strong therapeutic relationships that foster trust, growth, and self-discovery for individuals, couples, and families. Outside of her clinical work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her daughter and dog, prioritizing self-care and wellness, and engaging in activities such as reading, listening to music, and exploring personal growth practices that help her show up authentically for her clients. Melissa earned her education from Fairfield University, Southern Connecticut State University, and Gateway Community College and has been practicing since 2013.