Alicia Mercedes, LMHC
About me
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for the State of Florida. I received my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Florida Atlantic University. I have helped numerous people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and religious preferences through individual, couples, family and group counseling over the years. I have guided many through recovery struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, marital distress and family conflict. I have experience with clients ranging from 5 years old to late adulthood. I have worked in numerous mental health settings including community mental health, substance abuse, school counseling, adult therapy, family groups, and groups for the elderly. I have pursued mental health counseling due to my passion for helping people, my compassionate understanding and comprehensive problem solving skills. I strive to provide a nurturing environment to help my clients feel comfortable addressing negativity in their lives to pursue happiness as well as mental, emotional health and wellness.
Education:
Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Florida Atlantic University
Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Florida State University
Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice/ Criminology from Florida State University
Certifications:
Gottman Level 1 Couples Counseling Certification
Motivational Interviewing Certification
Severe and Persistent Mental Illness Certification
Dual Diagnosis Certification from the Florida Department of Health
Co- Occuring Disorders Certification from the Academy of Addiction Professionals
Cultural Sensitivity Training from Broward Health
Trauma Informed Care Certification from the Florida Department of Health
Professional experience
Additional areas of focus: LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Body image, Co-morbidity, Communication problems, Control issues, Eating and Food-Related Issues, Emptiness, First Responder Issues, Forgiveness, Gender Dysphoria, Impulsivity, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders , Multicultural Concerns, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Self-love, Social anxiety and phobia, Trichotillomania, Women's issues, Young Adult Issues
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Gottman Method, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy
License information
FL LMHC MH15207
Reviews
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Alicia Mercedes. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Alicia has been a major help during the past year and is very good at what she does. Thank you Alicia.
Written on Dec 01, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 9 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Friends and family can tell you something a hundred times, but that advice hits different when you get it from a counselor. Alicia can follow my train of thought, read my body language and just in general keep up with me and remind me of old promises I forgot about. Talking to her really centers me and helps me work through my problems constructively. I can not recommend her or this app more!
Written on Aug 18, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 9 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, trauma and abuse, sleeping disorders, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
Amazing, always is there even when I don’t reply for a couple of days
Written on Jul 27, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 3 months
She takes the time to get to know me and my concerns. Every week we start just where we left off. She is very intelligent and always helping me think outside the box. I am a better version of myself and continuing to improve and I have myself to thank. But i have her wisdom and expertise to thank for giving me the knowledge and courage to thank myself.
Written on Jul 27, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 6 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, self esteem, anger management, and coping with life changes
Alicia has helped me slow down my anxious thoughts and find healthier ways to cope with anxiety. Over the past few months she has helped me challenge my negative thought patterns and move towards a more positive mindset.
Written on Jul 21, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, and self esteem
Alicia was very patient and easy to talk to. She helped me tackle some of my problems regarding anxiety and insecurity by introducing me to anxiety-reducing behavioral methods as well as helping me to set goals for myself. She's a great counselor and I anticipate I'll continue thinking about her advice and using the positive-thinking methods she taught me.
Written on May 28, 2020 after therapy with Alicia for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, lgbt, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, and self esteem