Melissa Morales, LCSW

06/10/2025

I’m honored to share my published article in Counselor Magazine for Addiction & Behavioral Health Professionals.

📖 Gender-Affirmative Practice: Transgender and Nonbinary Considerations in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

This piece is close to my heart—it highlights the importance of affirming, inclusive care in the treatment space. I hope it sparks reflection, dialogue, and growth within our field.

Read it here: https://counselormagazine.com/article/gender-affirmative-practice/

05/10/2025

🌟 Sponsor Spotlight: Melissa Morales, LCSW, CADC 🌟

We are excited to feature Melissa Morales as a sponsor of Condit Country!

Melissa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor with over a decade of experience supporting individuals in their healing journeys. She has worked extensively with adults navigating depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and substance use disorders, offering a compassionate, nonjudgmental space for growth and recovery.

Her approach integrates proven methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to provide both insight and practical tools for everyday life.

We are grateful for Melissa’s sponsorship and her dedication to mental wellness, resilience, and community care.

16/09/2025

15/09/2025

Cycles don’t end just because time passes. They end when someone is brave enough to stop repeating the same patterns. Sometimes people keep the cycle alive by passively doing nothing. By refusing to hold others accountable, by ignoring the harm, or by standing silent when silence equals consent.

It’s also important to understand something called reactive abuse. That’s when someone is pushed, provoked, or cornered for so long that they finally explode or react harshly. The focus then shifts to their reaction instead of the behaviors that caused it. This is often used to flip the script, making the responder look like the aggressor while the real patterns of mistreatment go unchecked.

Taking accountability for a reaction doesn’t mean excusing the behavior that triggered it. It means naming the whole dynamic honestly. Everyone deserves the dignity of being seen in context, not judged in isolation.

🧘‍♀️😮‍💨

27/07/2025

Sometimes, maybe healing gets stuck when we keep trying to go back to a version of ourselves that no longer exists.

After trauma, it’s tempting to chase the “before.” To wish for the energy, the trust, the lightness we had. But that version of you was shaped by a different world—one that no longer fits.

What if healing isn’t about returning?

What if it’s about allowing something new to come forward?

There’s a version of you quietly waiting to take its first breath. And it’s okay if they look nothing like who you were before.

Breathe life into THAT person.

12/07/2025

CCAPP Multicultural Conference 2025

Still riding the energy from the CCAPP Multicultural Conference 2025 — what a phenomenal day of culture, connection, and community healing. 🙌🏽

Deepest thanks to the powerhouse Kristina Padilla for creating this brave and necessary space. You continue to raise the bar for what this work can and should look like. 🧠❤️

And to the brilliant Katalina Zambrano — your keynote and panel were everything. Truth-telling, soul-stirring, and exactly what our field needed. Grateful for your voice and leadership. 💥

From cultural dance to deep dialogue, this conference reminded me why we show up — not just for systems change, but for soul work. ✊🏽✨

09/07/2025

Now available in hard copy! 

My book “This Is Not in the Manual: A Real-Talk Survival Guide for Drug & Alcohol Counselors” is now available on Kindle AND Paperback 📚

This isn’t your typical clinical manual. It’s raw, honest, and written for the counselors who give a damn—who are trying to do meaningful work inside broken systems without losing themselves in the process.

If you’re a counselor, therapist, student, or just someone who wants to understand what it’s like on the front lines of addiction treatment, this book is for you.

💥 Kindle & Paperback available now:
👉 https://a.co/d/9rP61tP

Please share with someone in the field who needs to feel seen and supported. Let’s start some real conversations.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

08/07/2025

It’s finally happening… 📚 This book has been a labor of love — for every counselor who’s ever said, ‘Why didn’t they tell us this part?’ 💥 Stay tuned. It’s coming to Amazon any day now.

This project is straight from the heart — for every counselor who’s ever felt burned out, overlooked, or stuck between policies and people. It’s messy, honest, and packed with the kind of wisdom you only get from being in the trenches. If you’ve ever asked, “Why didn’t they tell us this part?” — this one’s for you.

✨ Cover reveal below! ✨

👉 Follow this page for updates
👉 Drop a 🙌 in the comments if you want the Amazon link as soon as it’s live!
👉 Tag a colleague who needs this in their work bag

We don’t need more perfect therapy books.
We need real ones.
Let’s go. 🖤

28/06/2025

Proud moments I feel truly honored to be a part of this field.

14/01/2025

https://www.rula.com/providers/CA/1801188602-melissa-morales

30/12/2024

https://www.rula.com/providers/CA/1801188602?

Melissa Morales is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California. See if your insurance is accepted and schedule your first appointment instantly.

05/07/2024

I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to take on new clients with Aetna, Carelon, Cigna, Decent, MHN, Optum, and Tricare West!!

Call now to connect with business.