About Merle
Merle Montalvo is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Mississippi. She helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, and the day-to-day strain that comes from career changes, trauma, or caregiving. Her approach is calm and straightforward, aimed at helping people take manageable steps forward.
Merle made a career change later in life and uses that experience when supporting others through transitions. Her background spans outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), home health, and hospice settings.
Background and approach
That variety means she has worked with many kinds of problems and practical life challenges. She draws from several approaches to shape therapy to each person. Merle uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practices, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic ideas, and solution-focused techniques when helpful.
The goal is to fit tools to a person’s needs rather than force a single method. Sessions are conversational and goal-oriented. People can expect clear, simple suggestions, chances to reflect, and tasks to try between meetings.
Merle emphasizes real-world coping skills and steady progress over time. Her work also addresses issues such as aging and geriatric concerns, family of origin dynamics, codependency, end-of-life matters, post-traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. She practices in Mississippi and conducts sessions in English.
How these approaches translate to online work
Merle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which helps with anxiety, depression, and stress. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve calm in daily life.Finding the right approach is part of the process. Merle will work together with each person to choose methods that fit their goals and preferences. That collaborative process can include trying different techniques and adjusting plans based on what helps most.
Online therapy offers practical benefits for people with busy lives. Video calls provide a face-to-face feel, phone sessions work well when video bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins, and text messaging lets someone keep track of thoughts between meetings. These options make scheduling easier and help therapy fit into work, caregiving, or other responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
Also works with
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Career difficulties
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 23 years
- Licensed
- Mississippi
- Languages
- English