Melissa Bennett-Heinz obtained her master’s degree in clinical social work from Columbia University (Class of 2002) and is a graduate of Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy in New York City, NY. In addition to her background in Gestalt Therapy, she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the esteemed conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, in New York City, where she majored in Oboe Performance. She is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in the states of New York, Washington, Texas, and North Carolina and has over 20 years of specialized training and experience in the treatment of addiction, PTSD, sexual trauma, childhood abuse, chronic mental illness, and mood and anxiety disorders.
Melissa has worked in a variety of diverse settings throughout the last two decades. She began her career working as a child and family therapist in community mental health in Woodside Queens and East New York located in Brooklyn, NY. She has treated countless numbers of underserved people in her career including working as a medical social worker, dialysis social worker, and in continuing day treatment programs as well as a clinician for a behavioral health managed care company.
Today, Melissa enjoys private practice primarily working with adult men and women in both individual and group settings with people who are highly educated and successful, who appear to have it together and are “happy” but are stuck in old relational patterns, struggle with perfectionism, relationships, and codependency. She believes therapy is an opportunity to build on the things that are right in your life, rather than being reserved for a crisis. Melissa brings her background as a professional classical musician and deep spirituality together in her unique approach to treatment in the creative and experiential therapy of Gestalt.
Education:
Manhattan School of Music, BM (’96)
Manhattan School of Music, MM (’98)
Columbia University, MSW (’02)
Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy, Clinical Fellowship, Certified Gestalt Psychotherapist (‘12)
