- Trauma aware
- Multilingual care
- Skills focused
About Afsha
Afsha Merchant is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) who helps people work through stress, anxiety, depression, relationship trouble, trauma, and self-esteem concerns. She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where people can name what feels hard and try new ways of coping.
Her practice often focuses on attachment and communication patterns. She supports people facing abandonment wounds, adoption and foster care issues, blended family challenges, and family of origin concerns. Codependency, body image struggles, and domestic violence effects are also part of her work.
Afsha uses straightforward, evidence-informed methods to help clients move forward. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to manage strong emotions, and Somatic Therapy to notice how the body holds stress. The Gottman Method informs her work around relationship communication and conflict.
She brings seven years of clinical experience and cultural awareness to each session. Afsha pays attention to how identity and life context shape emotional patterns and treatment goals. She speaks English, Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu, which helps when language or cultural background matters in care.
People meet her and set goals together, one step at a time. She emphasizes practical strategies you can try between sessions, and she adapts the approach as needs change. To start, clients use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire before scheduling.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online care
CBT helps people notice and change thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going. Online CBT sessions often include teaching a skill, reviewing practice exercises, and setting simple homework to try before the next meeting. DBT offers practical emotion regulation and distress-tolerance tools that reduce overwhelm and improve day-to-day coping. In remote work this can mean learning short grounding or breathing practices and checking in on how those tools fit into daily life.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with a client about their goals and preferences, try approaches that match the problem, and adjust based on what helps. Sessions are paced to fit what a person can manage, with skills and steps agreed on together.
The therapist's profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce time spent traveling. It also makes it possible to work with a licensed professional from another region, including international clients, when that option is supported.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Credentials
Illinois
Languages
English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Afsha focus on?
She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem challenges. Additional focus areas include codependency, attachment issues, body image, and family of origin concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is collaborative and practical. Sessions aim to identify goals, teach coping skills, and try small changes between meetings.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years of experience working with people on a range of life challenges and emotional concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an IL LCPC, which stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois. Her practice is based in Illinois.
Which languages can sessions be conducted in?
Sessions are offered in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu to support clients with different language needs.
What session formats are available?
The original profile does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options with the platform before booking.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.