About Melissa Moreno, LCSW-R | Trauma-Informed Therapy & Clinical Leadership

About the practice

Twenty years of listening to what the body says

Therapy and Treatment Services PC is a trauma-informed practice built on a simple clinical conviction: the nervous system needs to be treated alongside the story, not after it. Behind it sits eighteen years of clinical and executive leadership in one of New York State's most demanding treatment environments.

Melissa Moreno LCSW-R · Licensed in NY, AZ, CO, FL, MD, NM

Melissa Moreno, LCSW-R

Trauma-informed and holistic

With over 20 years of clinical experience, Melissa integrates Somatic Healing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Internal Family Systems into the Four Pillars Trauma Recovery Framework™ — her original, trademarked clinical model — available through telehealth and in person.

Melissa believes that lasting healing begins by reconnecting the mind, body, and spirit. Her somatic approach helps clients tune into the body's natural intelligence, learning to recognize, release, and regulate the physical manifestations of emotional pain.

By combining somatic awareness with DBT's skills for emotional regulation and IFS's compassionate parts work, she guides clients toward deep nervous system repair, emotional balance, and inner harmony.

Clients commonly come in for

Complex trauma and PTSD
Adolescents and adults
Chronic emotional dysregulation and BPD
Anxiety, depression, and panic
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Self-harm and suicidal ideation
Substance use and self-esteem

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Clinical & executive leadership

Eighteen years inside the system that treats the hardest cases

For more than 18 years, Melissa has dedicated her career to serving children, adolescents, and families through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services — supporting youth with complex behavioral, emotional, and trauma-related needs within residential juvenile justice settings.

Executive leadership

Facility Director, Highland Residential Center

Over a decade leading one of New York State's largest limited secure residential treatment facilities for adolescent males.

Oversees multidisciplinary clinical teams
Guides trauma-informed organizational practice
Implements evidence-based treatment models
Leads initiatives promoting safety, accountability, and positive youth development

Direct clinical work

Eighteen years of frontline practice

Individual, group, and family therapy, crisis intervention, behavioral assessment, and treatment planning for youth with histories of trauma, abuse, neglect, substance use, emotional dysregulation, and juvenile justice involvement.

Extensive experience integrating DBT, trauma-informed care, and strengths-based approaches into both clinical treatment and organizational practice.

Lasting change occurs when individuals are provided with structure, accountability, compassion, and evidence-based interventions that address the whole person — not just their symptoms.

Working within OCFS built a deep understanding of how trauma affects the developing brain, behavior, relationships, and long-term functioning. That experience continues to shape her private practice, where she specializes in helping adolescents and adults heal from trauma, develop emotional resilience, strengthen relationships, and build meaningful, lasting change.

Credentials

Board-certified specializations

Beyond her LCSW-R license, Melissa holds three advanced clinical certifications from Evergreen Certifications, each reflecting focused training in a core area of trauma treatment.

Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician

Specialized training in helping clients recover from the psychological effects of narcissistic abuse and rebuild a grounded sense of self.

Clinical Trauma Professional

Advanced certification in evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment for complex trauma and PTSD across the lifespan.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Certified in DBT — the emotion-regulation, distress-tolerance, and interpersonal skills at the foundation of the Four Pillars framework.

Writing & training

Beyond the therapy room

Published

Available on Amazon

Melissa is a published author. Her book is available for purchase on Amazon.

Title and link coming soon.

In development

Second book & clinical training

A second book is currently in the publishing process, alongside a clinical training program built around the Four Pillars Trauma Recovery Framework and ISRT.

Details to follow.