01 · Who Marlene works with

Marlene works with stress, Anxiety, addictions and trauma and abuse

Marlene lists 15 specialisms and 22 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Marlene chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Marlene's own words

What Marlene says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a licensed mental health counselor with 20 years experience in the field. My practice modalities include cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness therapy and motivational interviewing, while focusing on your goals and aspirations. I work with adults, adolescents and children in early childhood, primarily people of color in low income communities. My holistic and empathic approach is encouraging to clients who are seeking therapy especially for the first time.

I specialize in helping individuals who struggle with eating disorders, trauma and abuse, addiction, depression, anxiety and stress, as they continue to navigate everyday challenges. I strongly believe in and cheer for the success of the clients I work with. I’m passionate about what I do and Invested in helping you develop the skills you need to make long lasting positive changes in your life. One of the areas I work with many of my clients is around increasing their self care practices, so they are better equipped to deal with stress and anxiety. I truly believe everyone has value and deserves to experience joy and peace, simply because they exist.

If you are ready to take that next step I’m happy to go on the journey with you. Looking forward to connecting with you soon!

Marlene Merchant , on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Marlene works

The 3 approaches Marlene lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Marlene lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Marlene's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Marlene runs a session.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Marlene practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Marlene's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Marlene at this point.

2. Naming Marlene specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Marlene is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Marlene.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Marlene

Built from what Marlene actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Marlene's - Marlene has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LMHC

Licensed in

New York

Licence

NY LMHC 011677-01

Licence number

011677-01

Licence expires

30 Apr 2027

NPI

1093471047

Years in practice

10

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Marlene's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Marlene. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.