Melanie Giarratano, LMHC, LCMHC

Melanie Giarratano is a licensed mental health counselor who brings a blend of research-informed insight and practical clinical experience to her work. She holds state counseling credentials - LMHC and LCMHC - which indicate her qualifications to practice as a mental health counselor, and she completed a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Delaware followed by a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling at SUNY College at Old Westbury.

Her background includes research on post-traumatic stress in animal models, a formative experience that deepened her understanding of stress responses and the ways trauma can alter fear extinction. That research perspective complements her current clinical role in inpatient psychiatric settings, where she works with people who have extensive trauma histories. Melanie has provided both group and individual therapy across inpatient and outpatient programs and has experience supporting adults, teenagers, children, Veterans, individuals with substance use concerns, and people with developmental disabilities. Relationship issues are a frequent focus across these populations, and she brings that lens into many treatment plans.

Melanie draws from a range of theoretical approaches to tailor care to each person. Her practice emphasizes motivational interviewing to support goal-directed change, person-centered listening to offer encouragement when clients are ready to engage, solution-focused techniques that orient work toward present and future goals, and cognitive behavioral strategies to map the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She also integrates elements of psychodynamic thinking from her graduate training to consider development, family context, and relational patterns. Outside of work she models self-care through yoga, biking, time with family and friends, and activities with her dog, and she encourages clients to find practical ways to nurture their own well-being.