Desiree Malam, LPC

Desiree Malam is a licensed professional counselor who uses practical, evidence-based approaches to help people manage stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, and grief. She writes plainly and listens carefully so clients feel heard. She has 15 years of experience and works from Missouri. Desiree focuses on helping people talk through trauma and abuse, depression, and intimacy-related concerns. She also supports those dealing with eating concerns, anger, low self-esteem, and life transitions. She approaches LGBT issues and ADHD-related challenges with attention to each person's needs. Her sessions tend to be straightforward and goal-oriented. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to build emotional regulation and Motivational Interviewing to support change when motivation feels stuck. Desiree often helps clients with family and communication problems, blended family stress, caregiver strain, and divorce or separation concerns. She also works with people facing postpartum depression, sexual assault and abuse recovery, and self-harm thoughts, always attending to safety and immediate needs. People who meet with her can expect a collaborative process that sets clear steps and small goals. Desiree encourages practical tools between sessions and regular check-ins on progress. She aims to make therapy a useful part of everyday life.

How CBT and DBT work in online therapy

CBT helps people notice thought patterns that feed anxiety or low mood and then test new ways of thinking and behaving. It is useful for worries, depression, and many everyday problems by turning ideas into small, practical experiments.

DBT focuses on building skills to manage strong emotions, reduce impulsive reactions, and improve relationships. It is helpful when feelings feel overwhelming or when people want concrete strategies for staying grounded during stress.

Desiree treats approach selection as a team decision. She will talk with each person about goals, try strategies, and adjust what she uses based on what helps. That collaborative process is meant to match methods to real life needs and preferences.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video allows face-to-face conversation and shared worksheets, while phone calls work well when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging are good for brief check-ins, coaching, or when someone prefers writing. These options make scheduling more flexible and let people fit therapy into busy days.