LaVerne Merritt-Morrison, LMHC

LaVerne Merritt-Morrison is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in New York with 30 years of professional experience supporting people through addiction, trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and a wide range of life transitions. She holds a master’s degree in clinical counseling with a major in Addiction Counseling from Fairleigh Dickinson University, earned in May 2004, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Counseling, grounding her work in both academic training and long-term practice.

Her background includes extensive work in substance use treatment and co-occurring disorders, including two decades focused on substance use therapy and a decade and a half working with individuals with dual diagnoses. She also has experience supporting people in transitional housing and assisting those managing chronic medical conditions. In March 2016 she was grandfathered as a Master Addiction Counselor by the National Certification Commission for Addiction Counselors, and she holds a credential as an Alcoholism Substance Abuse Counselor.

LaVerne brings specialized training to her practice, including a 60-hour Compulsive Gambling training from the Narco Freedom Institute and a specialty designation in gambling. Her clinical approach blends motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy with a client-centered stance - meeting each person where they are and helping them build skills, insight, and motivation for change. She works with individuals on issues such as codependency, attachment challenges, panic and OCD symptoms, anger and impulsivity, and intimacy and parenting concerns, offering practical strategies as well as empathic support.