Melanie Giarratano, LMHC, LCMHC

Melanie Giarratano is a licensed mental health professional who blends research-informed insight with practical clinical experience to support people across the lifespan. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Delaware and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY College at Old Westbury. Her academic background included research on post-traumatic stress in animal models, a formative experience that deepened her understanding of how trauma alters stress responses and the challenges some people face in extinguishing fear.

She has provided both group and individual therapy in inpatient and outpatient settings and currently works in an inpatient psychiatric setting with patients who have extensive trauma histories. Melanie has clinical experience with adults, teenagers, children, Veterans, individuals with substance use concerns, and people with developmental disabilities. Relationship issues are a frequent focus across the populations she serves.

Melanie holds LMHC and LCMHC credentials - LMHC stands for Licensed Mental Health Counselor and LCMHC refers to Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor - and draws from a wide array of therapeutic approaches to tailor care to each person. Her methods include client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness therapy, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic therapy, and solution-focused therapy. She often integrates motivational interviewing to encourage change-oriented goals, uses person-centered techniques to support motivated clients, and applies CBT to help clients examine links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through tools such as thought logs and behavioral experiments.

Across her work Melanie emphasizes practical coping skills, solution-focused strategies that concentrate on present and future goals, and the importance of self-care. Outside of clinical work she models balance through activities like yoga, cycling, spending time with friends and family, playing with her dog, getting outdoors, and occasional shopping, and she encourages clients to identify self-care practices that help them feel more grounded and well.