About Heather Merrill

Heather Merrill | MS, LMHC, LPC

LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR

Counseling for Adults and Teens (Age 11+)

Heather believes that therapy is most effective when it is empowering, strength based, and when clients can authentically be themselves. Sessions with Heather provide a space to better understand yourself, your relationships, and to heal the patterns in your life that are no longer serving you.

Heather provides family therapy and individual therapy (age 11+). In family therapy, she will help family members listen to one another, explore conflicts, and resolve issues in family dynamics.

Many people who come to see her also struggle with work, school, or interpersonal stress. She is experienced with helping clients heal from grief and loss, PTSD, sexual abuse, physical abuse, spiritual abuse, racialized trauma, loss of a child, medical trauma, car accidents, and high levels of panic or anxiety. Heather combines supportive therapy with evidenced-based practices like EMDR, IFS informed EMDR, and Polyvagal Theory for trauma treatment. 

EMDR is an evidence-based trauma specific treatment that helps clients process trauma memories to provide clients with relief from their trauma responses. IFS helps clients understand the ways that they protect themselves due to their trauma history. Incorporating IFS into EMDR is a compassionate and gentle way to heal from our past traumatic experiences. A Polyvagal approach to treatment utilizes research on our nervous systems and helps us soothe our bodies when they feel anxious, sad, or overwhelmed.

Heather is committed to providing anti-oppressive care to her clients so she regularly attends trainings and engages in her own personal work to create a practice that is anti-racist  and provides a braver space for BIPOC clients, provides gender and sexuality affirming care for LGBTQ+ clients, is welcoming for clients of all religions, and is HAES (health at every size) informed which means that she does not pathologize larger bodies and has a weight neutral approach to treatment.  

Heather enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, art, theater, traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with family and friends.

Education and Credentials:

• Licensed Mental Health Counselor in WA State: (#LH60457286)
• Licensed Professional Counselor in OR State: (#C3554)
• MS Couples, Marital and Family Therapy- Portland State University
• BA Elementary Education- University of Portland
• WSCAP Therapist Core Training- WA Coalition of Sexual Assault Program

Specialties:

• EMDRand Trauma Therapy-EMDRIA
• IFS informed EMDR-Syzygy Institute
• Polyvagal Theory-Polyvagal Institute
• Family Counseling
• LGBTQ+ Specialist
• Health at Every Size practitioner
• Teen & Preteen Counseling Specialist