Merle Montalvo, LCSW - Therapist in Mississippi

About Merle

Merle Montalvo is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Mississippi who helps people manage common life strains. She focuses on stress, anxiety, grief, anger, low self-esteem, depression, and relationship and family concerns. She also works with trauma, career transitions, compassion fatigue, and coping with life changes.

She uses straightforward talk and practical strategies so people can see small changes quickly. Her path to social work began as a midlife transition, and that experience shapes how she meets others.

Background and approach

She speaks plainly about second chances and taking steps now rather than waiting for the perfect moment. That perspective often helps people who feel stuck or overwhelmed by change. Merle draws on about 23 years of clinical experience across outpatient care, inpatient settings, intensive outpatient programs, home health, and hospice.

Those varied settings give her a broad view of how problems show up in everyday life and near the end of life. In sessions she blends approaches to fit each person. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Mindfulness-based strategies support grounding and noticing what’s happening in the moment. She also uses solution-focused and motivational techniques to clarify goals and keep the work practical. Her style is calm and direct.

She listens for each person’s strengths and then builds small, doable steps toward change. Merle communicates in English and practices under the credential MS LCSW C5031.

Approaches that translate well to online care

Merle commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy in online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus in daily life.

She also brings Motivational Interviewing into sessions when people are unsure about change. That approach uses gentle questions and reflection to build motivation and set realistic steps toward goals. Together these approaches allow for practical skill-building and brief goal setting during online sessions.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and try methods that fit your needs, then adjust based on what helps. Clients and therapist decide together which techniques to use and when to shift direction.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options help people fit therapy into busy schedules, access care from home in Mississippi, and keep momentum between meetings with brief messages or chat check-ins.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Motivational Interviewing

A way of working through mixed feelings about change without being pushed. The therapist helps you weigh things up and find your own reasons, which often makes a difficult decision feel less stuck.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Merle address?

She supports people with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, self-esteem, depression, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, career issues, and coping with life changes.

How would she describe her therapeutic style?

Her approach is calm and direct, focusing on clear steps and practical strategies tailored to each persons needs.

What experience does she bring?

She has about 23 years of experience across outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient programs, home health, and hospice settings.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She is a licensed clinical social worker with the credential MS LCSW C5031 and practices in Mississippi.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

Sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How are fees handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Stress, Anxiety
Grief
Anger management

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 23 years
Licensed: Mississippi
Languages: English

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