- Collaborative
- Goal oriented
- Flexible approach
About Frances
Frances Merz is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in New Jersey with 19 years of clinical experience. She begins by listening to what brought someone to counseling and focuses on practical steps clients can take to change a situation. Frances emphasizes a collaborative process and asks clients to bring energy and effort to the work.
She draws from several counseling styles and chooses techniques based on each person's needs and strengths. This means sessions can include structured skills practice or brief problem-solving, depending on the goal. She regularly helps people manage stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career questions, life transitions, and sleep concerns.
Frances also supports people dealing with parenting challenges, grief, trauma and abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. She has an interest in working with people before and after weight loss surgery and can help with medical advocacy questions, such as preparing to speak with providers and coping with health-related stress.
She often works with college students and young adults who are navigating change and figuring out next steps. Her style is flexible rather than one-size-fits-all, so treatment plans are adjusted as progress and needs become clearer.
Frances typically communicates with clients Monday through Thursday and aims to reply to messages within 24 hours. She encourages prospective clients to consider counseling as a joint effort and aims to support and empower them toward their goals.
How Frances uses CBT and Solution-Focused methods online
Frances commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments. CBT often helps with anxiety, mood problems, sleeping trouble, and unhelpful thinking patterns that keep stress high.She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy, a brief, goal-oriented approach that highlights strengths and small changes that lead toward a preferred future. This approach can be useful for career decisions, life transitions, and quick problem-solving about day-to-day challenges.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Frances will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and will adapt methods as progress is made. The focus is on collaboration so clients help shape what techniques are tried and when adjustments are needed.
If you are considering online therapy, check the current session options before booking since the biography does not list specific formats. Online work can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy schedule, shorten travel time, and allow for flexible check-ins around work or school. Discussing practical needs and goals with the therapist helps determine whether remote sessions are a good fit and which ways of meeting will work best.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
19+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Frances address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career decisions, life transitions, parenting issues, grief, trauma and abuse, sleep problems, bipolar disorder, depression, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. Additional focuses include life purpose, seasonal affective disorder, social anxiety and young adult issues.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and flexible. She tailors techniques to each person's needs and may use practical skills, structured exercises, and brief problem-solving approaches.
What is her background and experience?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 19 years of experience working as a clinical counselor in a range of settings and with many presenting concerns.
Where is she based and what are her credentials?
She practices in New Jersey and holds the credential LPC, which stands for Licensed Professional Counselor.
In what languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm the current session options before booking.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and the therapist's 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 the therapist's availability.