- Years in practice
- 19
- Credentials
- LPC
- Licensed in
- New Jersey
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Self esteem
- Focus
- Career difficulties
About Frances
Frances Merz is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey with 19 years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who want to make changes in their lives, whether that means managing stress, improving sleep, or navigating parenting concerns. Frances works in a straightforward way and expects clients to play an active role in the process.
She draws from several counseling methods and picks techniques to match each person's needs and strengths.
Background and approach
Sessions are practical and goal-oriented when that helps, and more exploratory when clients want to better understand their life patterns. Frances often supports people facing anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar concerns, grief, trauma, and compassion fatigue. Her background includes work with career questions, social anxiety and phobia, seasonal affective disorder, and young adult issues.
Frances also helps people thinking about weight loss surgery or who are recovering after surgery, and she offers guidance around medical advocacy and how to speak with health providers. Frances prefers a collaborative process where the client and therapist choose methods together. She avoids a one-size-fits-all approach and adjusts techniques if something isn't working.
Her usual availability is Monday through Thursday, and she typically replies to messages within 24 hours. Sessions are offered in English and provided through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. People interested in beginning work can start by completing a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling a time that fits their needs.
What Frances works with
Everything Frances lists, in the therapist's own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Frances helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Life purpose
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Young adult issues
Approaches Frances lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that guide online sessions
Frances commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect and teaches practical skills to reduce anxiety, improve mood, or change unhelpful patterns. Solution-Focused Therapy centers on identifying small, concrete steps toward the change a person wants and builds on what already works for them.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Frances will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and daily life before deciding which methods to try. She adjusts the plan if something isn't helpful so clients can move toward their goals at a comfortable pace.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which let people fit therapy into busy schedules. Video allows face-to-face conversation, phone calls can work when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options aim to make it easier to attend sessions and to maintain steady progress over time.
Questions people ask about Frances
What concerns does Frances commonly help with?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep problems, grief, trauma and abuse, and parenting concerns.
What is her general approach to therapy?
She uses techniques from different counseling models and tailors sessions to each person's needs, mixing practical problem solving and deeper exploration as required.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 19 years of experience as a clinical counselor and has supported people with career changes, social anxiety, and young adult transitions.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, practicing in New Jersey.
Which languages and international arrangements are available?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
Therapy is available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, fill out a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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