- Stress and anxiety
- Life changes
- CBT and mindfulness
About Merle
Merle Montalvo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Mississippi with 23 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, career questions, life changes, compassion fatigue, ADHD, and issues around life purpose.
She describes becoming a social worker as a midlife transition. That experience shapes how she talks with people who feel stuck after major changes. She draws on decades of work across outpatient clinics, inpatient care, intensive outpatient programs, home health, and hospice.
Her way of working is eclectic and practical. She uses approaches from cognitive behavioral work, psychodynamic ideas, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and solution-focused techniques. In sessions she may help identify thinking patterns, set small goals, try brief experiments, and bring attention to the present moment.
Sessions focus on concrete steps and reflection. People can expect a mix of short-term problem solving and deeper conversations about patterns that repeat in life. She aims to match methods to what a person needs right now rather than sticking to a single method.
Merle also lists experience with aging and geriatric issues, hospice and end-of-life counseling, veteran and armed forces concerns, and coping after disasters. Those topics join her broader interest in helping people consider what matters next and how to move forward after a change.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Merle often draws on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness in her work. CBT looks at thoughts and behaviors and tries small experiments to shift unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, and coping after change. Mindfulness therapy brings attention to present moment experience and can reduce reactivity to stress while improving emotional regulation.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will talk with clients about goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, then use a mix of methods that fit the situation. This is a collaborative process that can change as needs evolve.
The biography does not specify which online session formats are used, so confirm options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example, shorter check-ins during a lunch break or meeting without travel. It can also allow continuity when people face relocation or mobility limits. Speak with the therapist about how to schedule sessions that align with daily routines and responsibilities.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
23+ years
Listed in
Mississippi
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, career questions, ADHD, and life purpose concerns.
How does she approach someone feeling stuck?
She uses an eclectic mix of approaches. That can include cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic ideas, and solution-focused steps to help people try small changes and reflect on patterns.
How many years has she worked in the field?
She has 23 years of professional experience across outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, home health, and hospice settings.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with practice based in Mississippi.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
Which session formats does she offer?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm the current session options before booking.
How are costs handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location, and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What should I do to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.