LaVerne Merritt-Morrison , LMHC

LaVerne Merritt-Morrison is a licensed mental health professional with formal training in counseling and addiction treatment. She holds a B.S. in Human Services and Counseling and earned a master’s degree in clinical counseling with a major in Addiction Counseling from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2004. In September 2006 she was grandfathered in as a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor - a credential commonly abbreviated as LMHC. On March 31, 2016 she was grandfathered in as a Master Addiction Counselor through the National Certification Commission for Addiction Counselors.

Her clinical background includes two decades of work in substance use therapy, fifteen years treating individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions, and five years supporting residents in transitional housing who live with chronic medical needs. She also completed a 60-hour compulsive gambling training at the Narco Freedom Institute and holds a Specialty in Gambling designation. She maintains a credential as an Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor and blends theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience to support recovery and resilience.

Clinically she draws on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy within a client-centered framework, meeting people where they are and helping them build skills, insight, and self-empowerment. The biography concludes with a line from Maya Angelou: Ive learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Client-Centered, CBT, and Motivational Strategies Online

LaVerne Merritt-Morrison uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where clients lead the pace and direction of their work - this approach helps people clarify values, process feelings, and build self-trust. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is used to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns - it is practical for anxiety, depression, panic, and many stress-related concerns. Motivational Interviewing focuses on strengthening a person’s own motivation for change through guided conversation - it is especially useful for addiction, ambivalence about change, and building readiness for new behaviors.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each client to consider needs, goals, and preferences and will adapt methods over time to find the best fit. Clients often combine elements from different approaches to address complex challenges in personalized ways.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for people balancing work, caregiving, or other commitments. These options make it easier to maintain consistency in care, access licensed professionals from different locations, and use the format that feels most comfortable for each session.