Profile / United States
Afsha Merchant, LCPC
Illinois
LCPC in Illinois - Anxiety and Relationship Work
See online therapy options- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- DBT skills
- Bilingual sessions
About Afsha
Afsha Merchant is an LCPC (Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) in Illinois with seven years of experience. She helps people who are managing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship struggles, and low self-esteem. Afsha works with issues such as attachment concerns, communication problems, and body image in straightforward, practical sessions.
Her sessions focus on identifying unhelpful thoughts and habits and then testing new ways of responding. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy and somatic techniques to give concrete tools for coping. Work can include skills practice, short experiments between sessions, and checking what works in everyday life.
Afsha brings cultural awareness to clinical work and notes that identity and background shape how problems show up. She speaks English, Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu, which can help when language and culture affect how someone describes symptoms or relationships. She also notes experience with issues related to adoption and foster care, caregiving stress, chronic illness, and family of origin problems.
Sessions are collaborative and structured. The therapist aims to set clear goals, track progress, and adjust methods if something is not helping. Practical communication skills, emotion regulation strategies, and body-based grounding are common elements of her approach.
People who choose Afsha often want concrete changes in daily life. The early work usually focuses on small, testable steps. Over time those steps build into clearer patterns for handling stress, managing anxiety, and improving relationship interactions.
Remote sessions using CBT and skills-based methods
Afsha commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and test small changes in behavior. CBT sessions focus on practical exercises, short experiments, and tracking what happens in daily life to see what helps.She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy for emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness skills. DBT work often includes clear, teachable techniques for handling intense emotions and improving communication in stressful moments. Somatic approaches add simple body-focused tools such as grounding and breath work to help with physical reactions tied to stress and trauma.
Choosing the right approach is collaborative. Afsha will discuss goals, try a method for a few sessions, and adjust based on what the client notices and prefers. This gives a chance to combine thinking-based work, skills practice, and body-based tools where useful.
Confirm current session formats before booking so you know how sessions are delivered. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Talk with her about preferences for audio or video and how sessions can be arranged to match daily life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Afsha commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship difficulties, and self-esteem issues. She also addresses attachment, communication problems, body image, and caregiver stress.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is structured and practical, focusing on clear goals, skills practice, and testing small changes between sessions. Sessions mix thinking strategies with body-based and behavioral exercises.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has seven years of experience providing counseling and psychotherapy to people facing a range of life stressors and relationship challenges.
What credential does she hold and where does she practice?
She is an LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor - practicing in Illinois.
Which languages can sessions be conducted in?
Sessions are offered in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She accepts international clients; check local regulations about receiving services from a U.S.-based clinician if needed.
How are sessions scheduled and priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing is provided during signup.
What should I do to begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session once matched.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.