About Afsha
Afsha Merchant offers support for stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, and self-esteem concerns. She creates a warm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk about what feels hard and start finding practical ways forward. Afsha's first goal is to help someone feel heard and understood.
From there she helps set clear, manageable goals for change. Afsha uses straightforward, evidence-based approaches. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thinking and try new behaviors.
How Afsha works
She uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills to manage strong emotions and Somatic Therapy to work with bodily reactions to stress and trauma. The Gottman Method informs how she addresses relationship patterns and communication problems. She brings seven years of clinical experience and practices as an LCPC, which stands for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
Afsha pays attention to cultural background and identity and how those factors shape someone’s challenges and strengths. She speaks English, Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu, and she accepts international clients. Afsha helps people dealing with a wide range of related concerns.
These include abandonment and attachment issues, adoption and foster care experiences, autism and Asperger syndrome, avoidant personality patterns, blended family issues, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness or pain, codependency, control issues, divorce and separation, domestic violence, and family of origin problems. Her style is collaborative and practical. She listens, helps set priorities, and teaches tools clients can use between sessions.
People who want clear steps and attention to cultural context may find this approach helpful.
Afsha lists 6 ways of working on the entry:
What Afsha works with
The areas below are the ones Afsha selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Intellectual disability
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Visually impaired
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | LCPC |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 7 |
| Languages | English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | Illinois |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How Afsha’s Approaches Work Online
Afsha uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. CBT often focuses on practical exercises and homework that can be done between sessions to build new habits. She also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills useful for intense feelings and relationship conflict. Somatic Therapy appears in her work when physical sensations and the body hold stress or trauma, using gentle attention to breath, movement, and bodily awareness to reduce reactivity.Finding the right approach is usually a collaborative process. Afsha will talk with each person about their needs, goals, and preferences and suggest strategies that fit. She adapts methods over time, combining techniques from different approaches when that helps someone make steady progress.
Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life by removing travel time and giving more flexible scheduling options. It can also allow for shorter check-ins when a full session isn’t needed, and it can reduce the need to be on camera if someone prefers less visual interaction. Confirm the available session formats before booking to match the practical option that works best for daily life.
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Common questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
What is her therapeutic style like?
How much clinical experience does she have?
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What are the first steps to begin therapy?
A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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