Profile / United States
Merry Walensa, LPCC
California
LPCC in California - relationships and grief
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- ACT and DBT skills
- Career and coaching
About Merry
Merry Walensa is a California LPCC with 17 years of clinical practice. She works with people dealing with grief, self-esteem, career concerns, stress, anxiety, addiction, and life changes. She also addresses relationship and intimacy-related issues and problems with sleep, anger, and depression.
Her approach is integrative. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), and client-centered methods. This means sessions often focus on noticing unhelpful thoughts, testing different responses, building coping skills, and clarifying values.
Merry includes existential and spiritual themes when relevant. That work looks at meaning, purpose, and life choices in plain, practical terms. Conversations aim to connect day-to-day problems with larger life questions that matter to the individual.
She practices in California and offers services in English. New clients start with a video appointment before other contact methods are used. Her practice asks for courteous scheduling and advance cancellation when possible.
In sessions she assists with problem-solving, short-term skill building, and longer conversations about goals and life direction. She also supports people navigating serious medical or end-of-life issues, chronic illness, codependency, and financial stress. Work may include coaching-style planning for career steps or concrete strategies for sleep and stress.
How her approaches translate to online work
CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviors. In practice that can mean setting small experiments between sessions, doing thought records, and building routines to improve sleep or reduce anxiety. ACT adds attention to values and committed action, helping people choose actions that align with what matters to them. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening and reflection, giving space to clarify feelings and goals.Choosing a method is part of the work. Merry will collaborate with each person to decide which approach or mix of approaches fits their goals, needs, and preferences. That decision can shift as therapy progresses and as practical goals become clearer.
The biography notes a required initial video appointment for new clients; please confirm the available formats for follow-up sessions before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It also supports continuing consistent work when coping with illness, caregiving, or job demands. Ask about how sessions are scheduled and how the subscription model applies to your situation.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
17+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with most often?
She works with relationship issues, grief, self-esteem, career problems, life changes, stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, sleep problems, anger, and depression.
How does she use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in sessions?
CBT is used to identify unhelpful thoughts and habits and to try different ways of responding. Sessions include practical exercises and tracking patterns between thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
What background does she bring to the work?
She has 17 years of professional experience and integrates ACT, DBT, EFT, client-centered work, and existential or spiritual themes when they fit the client's concerns.
What credential and location does she hold?
Merry is an LPCC licensed in California and provides services from that state.
Which languages are supported and can she see international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are used for new clients?
New clients are asked to schedule a video appointment first; please confirm other session format options before booking subsequent meetings.
How does payment or cost work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
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.