Hi, I’m Melizza. I’m a licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience supporting people through trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, illness, end of life, and major life transitions.

My approach is warm, relational, and grounded. I bring the science, but I keep the soul—drawing from neuroscience, the nervous system, and evidence-based therapies without losing sight of the complexity of being human. I care about wholeness as much as healing. To me, wholeness means making room for all of who we are: what hurts, what is already well, the patterns we want to change, and the wisdom we have gathered along the way.

My work draws from Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, IFS, ACT, DBT, CBT, and years of experience in hospice, palliative care, and trauma-informed settings. In my private practice, I provide individual therapy for California residents, clinical supervision for ASWs, and consultation for therapists. Learn more about my clinical work here.

My clinical practice is entirely separate from Soul y Sombra’s educational and non-clinical offerings.