Melissa Laird, , Clinical Social Worker  in Haymarket, VA

Melissa Laird (she/her)

Accepting Clients

Life is complicated. Relationships are hard. You deserve a therapist who gets that. No scripts, no judgment — just real work, real results.

Clinical Social Worker in Haymarket, VA
Supervised by Erica Herrera, LCSW

About My Clients

I work with individuals and couples navigating life transitions, relationship stress, and substance use. My clients are often at a crossroads — something has shifted, and the old ways aren't working anymore. They're not looking for someone to tell them what to do. They want a therapist who will be straight with them, not one who just nods along. If you're ready to do honest work and open to the possibility that things can be different, we're probably a good fit.

My Background and Approach

My path to this work wasn't a straight line — and that shapes how I sit with clients. I bring experience across foster care and adoption, substance use, parenting in all its forms, neurodivergence, long-term relationships, trauma, and abuse. These are real terrain of people's lives. I work with people who have complicated histories, complicated families, and complicated feelings about all of it. My approach draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, attachment-based and multigenerational frameworks, trauma-informed care, and somatic approaches — I do not follow a script, because different people need different tools. I'm direct and grounded. I'm not here to pathologize your story or hand you a worksheet. I'm here to help you figure out your patterns and triggers and what you want to do about it. Clients often tell me they feel like they can finally say the thing they couldn't say anywhere else. That's the work.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe families come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and origins — and that every configuration deserves to be met with respect, not explanation. I am an affirming therapist for LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families, and I take that seriously beyond the checkbox. I have deep roots in and respect for the recovery community. I understand the culture, the language, and what it actually takes to do that work — and I bring that knowledge into the room without judgment and without agenda. I believe that who you love, how you parent, where you come from, and what your family looks like are not problems to be managed. They are the context of your life — and context matters in good therapy. Everyone deserves a seat at the table. In my office, you already have one.

Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Out of Network
  • Aetna
  • Cigna
  • Oscar
  • Anthem
  • Optum
  • TRICARE
  • United Healthcare
  • Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield
  • Anthem Healthkeepers
  • CareFirst
  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
  • Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc
I have experience with the following
  • Agnosticism
  • Atheism
  • Christianity
  • Judaism

At A Glance

  • Experience: Less than a year
  • Languages: English

Info

Email Melissa
15000 Washington St
Suite 201
Haymarket, VA 20169

Reach out to Melissa