Melissa Klay, PhD

Melissa Klay, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC
Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Art Therapist

Dr. Klay believes that the decision to enter treatment is a significant first step towards the healing process. The importance of building a solid and supportive therapeutic relationship with the client whether adult, child, teen, or family is essential and reflects Dr. Klay’s therapeutic approach to relationship building. Whether through verbal or visual imagery, Dr. Klay tries to help individuals better understand their challenges and helps find alternative solutions when facing these obstacles. Dr. Klay is trained in CBT, DBT and psychodynamic approaches and utilizes an integrative and flexible approach to meet the needs of her clients.

Dr. Klay is a licensed clinical psychologist and a licensed, registered, and board-certified art therapist and works comfortably with adults, children, adolescents, and parents. She received her Masters in Art Therapy and Creativity Development at Pratt Institute and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute.In the past 20 years she has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and in an alternative high school. She completed her psychology internship at the Child and Family Institute in St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and she continues to provide psychotherapy services at Metropolitan Center for Mental Health as a clinical psychologist and creative arts therapist. At MCMH she sees children, adolescents, and adults for individual psychotherapy. Seeing a variety of clients has allowed an implementation of numerous treatment approaches in order to address the client’s needs.

Over the past 15 years, Dr. Klay has been an adjunct associate professor in the Graduate Creative Arts Therapy Department at Pratt Institute and has presented at conferences and workshops in and out of the NYC area. Her study on understanding the role of motivation in professional athletes is in press with the Journal of Applied Sport Management.

When she is not providing therapeutic services or teaching, you can find Dr. Klay enjoying her other passions such as art, reading, exercising, and watching futbol/soccer.