Melissa Warren, M.A., APCC
Betrayal Trauma Therapist | Minwalla Model (DSTT) | Westlake Village, CA
Melissa Warren, APCC, is a compassionate and relational therapist who specializes in helping individuals and partners heal from betrayal trauma, relational injury, and loss of trust. She is a Deceptive Sexual Trauma Treatment (DSTT) provider, trained in the specialized model developed by Dr. Omar Minwalla, and works primarily with individuals navigating the complex emotional and psychological impact of deception, infidelity, and integrity abuse.
Melissa provides therapy in Westlake Village, California, and offers telehealth services for clients located throughout California.
Melissa’s work is deeply informed by the Minwalla Model of Deceptive Sexuality and Trauma (DSTT)—a structured, trauma-informed approach that understands betrayal as a profound psychological and attachment injury rather than simply a relationship problem. This model recognizes that partners impacted by deception often experience confusion, loss of reality, erosion of self-trust, and nervous system dysregulation.
She helps clients make sense of these experiences by bringing clarity to patterns of deception and integrity abuse, while reducing self-blame and restoring a grounded sense of reality. Through a combination of psychoeducation, emotional processing, and structured trauma work, Melissa supports clients in moving from disorientation and pain toward stability, empowerment, and renewed self-trust.
Practicing under the supervision of Sandra H. Jocoy, LMFT, Melissa offers a safe, attuned, and nonjudgmental space where clients can slow down, process their experiences, and reconnect with their inner voice and resilience. Her approach is collaborative, relational, and trauma-informed, with a focus on helping clients move from survival into greater clarity, confidence, and personal agency.
Melissa specializes in working with betrayed or injured partners, offering care that is deeply validating, structured, and empowering. In this work, clients process grief, anger, and confusion while rebuilding emotional safety, strengthening boundaries, and reconnecting with their identity, values, and voice. She is committed to walking alongside clients with steadiness, clarity, and compassion as they move toward healing.
In addition to individual therapy, Melissa facilitates groups for betrayed partners, creating supportive environments for shared understanding, validation, and collective healing. She believes deeply in the power of connection and psychoeducation to reduce isolation and restore hope.
Melissa also works with children and adolescents, integrating play therapy and art therapy to support emotional growth and healing in developmentally appropriate ways. Through creative and relational approaches, she helps younger clients express emotions, build emotional awareness, and develop healthy coping strategies in a safe and engaging environment.
For clients who desire it, Melissa thoughtfully integrates the Christian faith into the therapeutic process. She honors the role that spirituality can play in healing, offering space to explore questions of meaning, identity, forgiveness, and restoration through a faith-informed lens—while always respecting each client’s individual beliefs and preferences.
Melissa works with individuals experiencing betrayal trauma, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and relational distress, as well as children and adolescents needing support with emotional expression and regulation.
Healing from betrayal and relational trauma can feel overwhelming, but it does not have to be faced alone. Melissa offers a steady, compassionate presence and a clear path forward—helping clients move from confusion and pain toward clarity, strength, and renewed trust in themselves.