Melissa Pollard

Melissa Pollard accepts Aetna, United Healthcare, United Healthcare/Optum, Oscar IL, Cigna Healthcare/Evernorth, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Out of state BlueCard PPO, and Prime Health. Octave clients pay an average of $28 per session through insurance, and more than 95% pay less than $45 per session. Your exact cost depends on your plan’s copay or deductible. You can use the cost estimator to see what you would pay before your first session. If you would rather pay out of pocket, self-pay sessions in Illinois are estimated at $185-195 per session.

Melissa Pollard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Melissa is licensed to practice in Illinois, so clients located in Illinois can book sessions. Melissa’s Illinois license number is 149.015287, and you can look it up through the state licensing board. Octave verifies every therapist’s license before they begin seeing clients, and licenses are kept current as a condition of practicing with Octave.

Melissa Pollard has been practicing therapy for 14 years. Melissa’s education and training include MSW - Social Work, Dominican University. Over that time, Melissa has worked closely with Students. Octave therapists average more than a decade of experience, and Melissa is part of that group.

Melissa Pollard works with Students and specializes in ADHD, Anger Issues, Anxiety, Burnout, Depression, Grief, Life Transitions, Panic, Relationship Concerns, Sleep, Stress, Trauma, and Workplace Stress. These are the areas where Melissa spends most of their clinical time. If the concern you want help with isn’t listed here, a Care Navigator can tell you whether Melissa is a good fit or match you with another Octave therapist who specializes in it.

Melissa Pollard draws on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused, and Strengths-Based. In sessions, Melissa’s style is calming, holistic, humorous, mindful, and open-minded. In Melissa’s words: “I help individuals struggling with anxiety build tools to calm the nervous system, restore balance, and reconnect with themselves. You deserve to feel good—not just survive, but truly thrive.”

Melissa Pollard (she/her) offers therapy in English. Melissa identifies as Hispanic/Latinx.

Melissa Pollard offers online sessions over secure video as well as in-person sessions at 450 E 22nd Street in Lombard. Melissa is licensed in Illinois, and you need to be located in that state at the time of each session. All you need is a device with a camera and a stable internet connection.

Your first session with Melissa Pollard is a chance to talk through what brought you to therapy and what you want to work on. Melissa will ask about your background, your current concerns, and your goals, and together you will start shaping a plan for your sessions. It is also a chance to see whether Melissa’s style feels like a good fit for you. After their first session, 9 in 10 Octave clients say their therapy experience has been good or better.

Octave regularly asks clients to select a rating based on their experience about their provider about their therapy sessions. Providers are prohibited from soliciting reviews from their clients.

Only clients who have completed a session with this provider can leave a rating for them.