Merry Walensa , LPCC

Merry Walensa holds an LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor - and is licensed in California with 17 years of professional experience. She has supported people through grief and loss, helped rebuild motivation and self-esteem, and assisted with career planning and workplace difficulties, as well as broader coping with life changes. Her practice blends clinical techniques with integrative work that can include spiritual perspectives and an inclusive form of existential inquiry when it fits a person’s needs. Walensa strives to provide an open, nonjudgmental environment where thoughts and feelings can be explored honestly and safely. She frames seeking change as an act of courage and centers her role on offering support and empowerment as individuals take steps toward a more fulfilling life. For new clients she requests that a video appointment be scheduled first before phone or chat sessions are used, and she asks for courteous communication by keeping appointments or providing advance notice when cancellations are necessary. She appreciates thoughtful scheduling and respectful collaboration throughout the therapeutic process.

Approaches and Support for Online Therapy

Merry Walensa often integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people clarify their values and take meaningful action even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings - this approach is commonly used for anxiety, stress, and life transitions. She also uses Client-Centered Therapy, a supportive, empathic approach that emphasizes listening and the individual’s own capacity to find solutions, helpful for building self-esteem, processing grief, and improving relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is another tool in her practice, focusing on identifying and adjusting unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and stress.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work itself. Merry Walensa collaborates with each person to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts strategies as the process progresses. Licensed professionals tailor the plan in collaboration with the individual to promote practical, achievable steps.

Online therapy via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility and easier scheduling, helps reduce travel time, and can make it simpler to maintain continuity during life changes or busy periods. These formats allow therapists and clients to select the communication style that best supports the therapeutic goals and daily routines.