- 23 years experience
- LCSW
- Codependency focus
About Merle
Merle Montalvo is a licensed clinical social worker with more than two decades of experience. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, low self-esteem, and life transitions. She also supports those dealing with trauma, codependency, ADHD, and career or relationship concerns.
Merle describes her own path into social work as a midlife transition, which shaped how she approaches change. She draws on that personal perspective when helping people navigate new chapters. Her background includes work in outpatient and inpatient settings, intensive outpatient programs, home health, and hospice care.
Her style is flexible and down-to-earth. She combines cognitive tools with insight-oriented and solution-focused methods. She also uses mindfulness and motivational techniques to help people notice patterns and try different responses.
In sessions she aims to tailor approaches to each person. That can mean practical problem-solving one week and deeper exploration the next. She emphasizes simple, concrete steps people can use between meetings to measure progress and build momentum.
Merle’s practice is informed by a broad cultural outlook. She views each person as unique while attending to shared human needs. She holds a Master of Science and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, practicing in Mississippi.
How her approaches translate to online therapy
Merle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy in her work. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with small experiments, which can ease anxiety, depression, and codependency patterns. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus during stressful moments.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with a person about their goals and preferences and then try methods that fit those needs. Sessions can shift over time as progress or challenges emerge, and she invites feedback to adapt the plan.
Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by reducing travel and allowing meetings from different locations. It can also allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or make it simpler to continue care during transitions. Licensed professionals can use these options to match therapy to everyday routines, while tailoring methods like CBT and mindfulness to online work.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Credentials
Mississippi
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Merle help people address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, low self-esteem, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, ADHD, and related life changes.
What is her general approach in therapy?
She uses an eclectic, practical style that blends cognitive behavioral ideas, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic insight, and solution-focused work to fit each person.
How much experience does she have?
She has 23 years of experience across outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient programs, home health, and hospice settings.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds a Master of Science and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Mississippi.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not accepting international clients at this time.
How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with this therapist?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and 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.