Dorothy Nieto Manzer, MSW, LCSW

Dorothy Nieto Manzer received her MSW from the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School  of Social work and holds an LCSW in the state of California. Dorothy has over 25 years of experience working with  diverse communities in nonprofit settings with a focus on strengthening child and family wellbeing with program  areas that include child abuse prevention, early intervention, and treatment services. Additionally, Dorothy has  worked in partnership collaborating with community non-profits and educational agencies developing and  implementing a school based mental health program to support youth experiencing adversity and marginalization  with populations such as foster youth and unhoused/homeless youth and their families. Throughout her work she  utilizes a trauma informed lens and strength-based practices to nurture relationships with stakeholders. Dorothy  is skilled in curriculum and program development through the lens of cultural humility, compassion, and  collaborative work incorporating all stakeholders: parents, community members, multidisciplinary and  interdisciplinary colleagues.  

Dorothy is well versed in evidence-based practices such as TF-CBT, Grief TF-CBT, Bounce Back, MATCH-ADTC,  Second Step, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Therapy, Problem Solving Therapy, CBT: Coping Cat,  Mindfulness and Mediation, Psychological First Aid, Crisis Intervention: Critical Incident Stress Management, and  Dad’s For Life: Fathering for Family Wellness.  

Dorothy has served as a coach, facilitator and trainer facilitating trauma informed biopsychosocial assessments,  diagnosis, treatment planning and intervention, individual and group clinical supervision, case management team  meetings, child and family case consultations, and collaborative program development meetings with community based organizations and child welfare agencies. Furthermore, she has conducted trainings and presentations on  The Trauma Informed Educator, Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building Self-Healing  Communities, Strengthening Homeless Youth, Crisis Intervention: Critical Incident Stress Management, TF-CBT,  and MATCH-ADTC (Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct), Problem Solving and Solution Focused Therapy,  Fathering for Family Wellness: Dad’s For Life, and Integrative Social Work “It’s Complicated”. Dorothy has served  on the steering committee for Orange County ACEs Trauma Informed Network of Care, and the Children’s and  Families Coalition of Orange County.  

In closing, Dorothy holds a full-time faculty position as a Senior Lecturer with USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of  Social Work where she teaches clinical social work practice with children, youth, and families, and theory of human  behavior courses. Dorothy brings passion, enthusiasm, and expertise to assist the next generation of social  workers in cultivating their professional identity, utilizing critical decision-making practice skills to support the  delivery of trauma informed and culturally responsive services with vulnerable children, youth, and families.  

Dorothy enjoys walking, hiking, attending indoor or outdoor sporting events (football, basketball, volleyball), going  to concerts (country music is her favorite currently) and traveling.

Dorothy Nieto Manzer, MSW, LCSW