Melanie Carrión, LCSW, CCTP

If you grew up being the strong one — the translator, the fixer, the one everyone called when things fell apart — you probably learned early that needing help wasn’t really an option. You learned to keep moving, to show up, to make it work. And you got good at it. Really good. But somewhere along the way, all that strength started to cost you something.

That’s the person I work with. Not someone who is broken because you’re not, but someone who is exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t fix, who gives freely to everyone around them and doesn’t quite know how to receive the same in return.

I’m Melanie Carrión, a bilingual Latina therapist licensed in New Jersey, offering virtual therapy in English and Spanish to first-generation and BIPOC adults across the state. I hold a Master’s in Social Work and I’m certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), which means trauma isn’t just something I’ve read about. It’s something I’m specifically trained to help you work through, at a pace that feels safe for you.

My approach is warm, direct, and grounded in evidence-based care. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic work, and trauma-informed practices, not because I follow a script, but because I pull from what actually works and adapt it to who you are. I’m not here to sit in silence and nod. I’m here to be your thinking partner, your witness, and your cheerleader.

As a Latina therapist, I bring cultural fluency to this work that goes beyond language. I understand the weight of familismo, the guilt of putting yourself first, the exhaustion of code-switching between worlds, and the particular pressure of being the first in your family to do something, whether that’s go to college, leave a relationship, set a boundary, or simply ask for help. These aren’t just topics I’ve studied. They’re things I’ve lived.

I offer therapy in both English and Spanish, because feeling understood shouldn’t depend on which language you’re most comfortable in. Some things are easier to say in Spanish. Some things only make sense in English. In our sessions, you get to use both.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, burnout, depression, trauma, grief, relationship stress, identity, and the particular kind of exhaustion that comes from carrying expectations that were never fully yours to carry. Many of my clients are high-functioning — they have jobs, relationships, responsibilities — and they’re managing. But managing isn’t the same as feeling good, and they know there’s something more available to them.

If you’ve spent your life being everything to everyone, therapy with me is a place where you get to just be. We’ll slow down, figure out where things got complicated, and start building something that actually feels like yours.

I currently accept several major insurance plans through Headway, and I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can see if we’re a good fit before you commit to anything.

All sessions are conducted via telehealth, which means you can access care from anywhere in New Jersey, whether you’re in Jersey City, Newark, Edison, New Brunswick, or anywhere in between.

If you’re ready to put some of it down, I’d love to talk.