Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Merrillville, IN

When life feels overwhelming, therapy can provide a space to slow down, gain clarity, and move forward with confidence. 21 years of behavioral health and psychotherapy experience, including 16 years as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

I specialize in helping individuals manage anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, grief, and life transitions. I particularly enjoy working with professionals, caregivers, and high-achieving adults who are often balancing significant responsibilities while putting their own needs last.

Clients describe me as warm, calm, practical, and easy to talk to. Using CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and strengths-based approaches, I help clients build coping skills, gain insight, and create meaningful, lasting change so they can feel more balanced, confident, and in control of their lives.

I was born and raised in a small town in Alabama where Southern hospitality thrived and people believed in a sense of community. As a small girl, I found joy in being a helping hand and learned some valuable life lessons that continue to be a huge part of me today. Everyone needs a little help from time to time and it is totally okay to reach out for help. None of us can do this thing called life alone and that’s why I would love to help you navigate your journey towards better mental health/wellness. My passion is listening to people’s stories and delving into the problems that not only hinder themselves but perhaps other interpersonal relationships as well. As a psychiatrist I am trained to evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses such as mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. My philosophy is that each person is different and unique so not everyone’s path to healing is the same. My job? To embrace that uniqueness and help you reach your mental health goals.

Congratulations on taking the next step toward becoming the very best version of yourself! If you're ready to begin the work, I'd love to take the journey with you. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 14 years of counseling experience and two graduate degrees in counseling. I have advanced training in approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness, and I tailor therapy to meet each client’s unique needs. I specialize in supporting people through anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. My style is warm, collaborative, and focused on helping you find healing and resilience.

I'm a licensed professional counselor with over 20 years of experience working with adults navigating some of life's hardest seasons — infertility, adoption, depression, anxiety, life transitions, and the kind of grief that doesn't have a clear name yet. I'm faith-integrated in my approach, which means I honor the role spirituality plays in your life without ever making it a requirement. My clients describe me as warm, easy to talk to, and refreshingly direct. I don't do one-size-fits-all therapy — every treatment plan starts with your story.

I’m an Indiana and Michigan Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience helping young adults, adults, and older adults (65+) manage life transitions, emotional stress, and everyday overwhelm. As a fully virtual provider, I offer flexible, confidential online therapy to clients across Michigan.

I am a licensed clinical social worker in Indiana. I earned my masters degree in social work from the University of Louisville in 2013. I have over 13 years of professional social work experience in the mental health field as well as the school setting. I am dedicated to helping individuals, families, and children navigate life’s most difficult seasons. I have a dual background as both a licensed clinical

(LCSW) and School Social Worker (LSSW), which is a great asset for parents looking for help with school-related issues. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or the lasting effects of trauma, I provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can feel truly heard. I am currently accepting new clients for telehealth across Indiana.

I believe that each person holds inherent wisdom needed to transform pain into healing. Although pain is a natural part of life, it doesn't have to define your future. My belief is that through a trusted relationship, you can access an inner sense of safety needed to heal wounds while honoring your unique journey.

I am deeply committed to supporting individuals on their life journey, fostering an environment for healing, transformation, and empowerment through providing accessible mental health services. I hold training and experience in children/adolescent mental health, and utilize the therapeutic powers of play to meet children where they are.

I've been a social worker since 2012 after receiving my MSW at Indiana University School of Social Work. I specialize in working with trauma, substance use, depression, and anxiety with a whole-person mindset. I use a warm and supportive approach in working with my clients.

I’m Stefani, and I work with adults and seniors navigating anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, PTSD, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. Sometimes you know exactly what’s wrong. Sometimes you just know you don’t feel like yourself anymore. Either way, you don’t have to have the right words or a perfect story to begin.

I don’t rush people or push past their pace, and I don’t flinch at the hard stuff. My goal is to offer a steady, compassionate space where you can slow down, understand what you’re carrying, and begin moving toward change in a way that feels supportive and manageable.

Together, we can make sense of patterns that may have developed for a reason, build a better understanding of your emotions and responses, and find ways of moving forward that feel more grounded and sustainable.

With nearly 10 years of experience providing therapy, I believe meaningful change happens when you feel both deeply understood and gently challenged. My style is warm, human, and occasionally sprinkled with humor- because therapy doesn't have to feel cold, clinical, or intimidating to be effective.

I specialize in working with OCD and anxiety, helping clients understand intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and the anxiety cycles that keep them going. Together, we focus on building tolerance for uncertainty, reducing compulsive behaviors, and increasing emotional flexibility.

I also have specialized training and experience in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and evidence-based therapy approach that helps people process trauma, reduce emotional intensity, and shift long-standing beliefs that no longer serve them.

In addition, I work with individuals navigating major life changes, including high-conflict divorce and the painful realities of parental alienation. These experiences can be isolating, overwhelming, and deeply destabilizing. My approach centers on helping clients regain a sense of grounding, clarity, and agency, while learning practical tools to cope with ongoing stress, grief, and complex family dynamics.

Clients should know that I’m a real person first and a therapist second. I actually started my career in sports management, but life had other plans — and a series of lived experiences pulled me toward social work in a way that felt impossible to ignore. I went on to complete my MSW at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN, and I’ve spent the last ten years working in child protection, community health, and hospital social work in a Level 1 trauma facility.

I also spent years as a caregiver, which made me especially comfortable working with older adults and taught me that humor, patience, and a good cup of coffee can get you through almost anything. I’m nearing completion of my PST therapy certification, which adds a structured, problem‐solving lens to the work we do.

I take therapy seriously, but I don’t take myself too seriously — so you can expect warmth, honesty, and the occasional well‐timed laugh when life hands us something so absurd it deserves one.