Loriann Merritt, LAPC

01/25/2026

A population very near and dear to me. I’m always open for first responder clients. 🫶🏻

12/31/2025

Grief looks different for everyone, but you don’t have to walk through it alone. 💚 Our Walking Through Grief support group offers a safe space, helpful tools, and compassionate guidance.

Registration will still be accepted after January 9.

12/31/2025

12/24/2025

Growing Around Grief is a model created by grief counselor Dr. Lois Tonkin. Tonkin came up with the model after speaking to a client about the death of their child. The woman told Tonkin that at first grief filled every part of her life. She drew a picture with a circle to represent her life and shading to indicate her grief. It was all-consuming.⁠
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She had thought that as time went by the grief would shrink and become a much smaller part of her life. But what happened was different. The grief stayed just as big, but her life grew around it. There were times where she felt the grief as intensely as when her child first died. But there were other times where she felt she lived her life in the space outside the circle.⁠
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This view of grief does not tell someone that their grief will go away in time. You will never be "over it." It acknowledges that there will be some days where you feel grief as strongly as you did when the person first died. But there will also be days when you are able to move on with other parts of your life.⁠
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The "growing around grief" model shows how we can still grieve the loss of our loved one while carrying on with our own lives. It shows that we can grow a new life which includes the loss.⁠

🎨 Art by creative.clinical.psychologist on Instagram
✍️ Words by Cruse Bereavement Support

12/09/2025

“no pile is too large, no mess is too much” 🫶🏻

We therapists talk about the phrase, “meet people where they are” a lot, but it’s so easy to lose sight of its deep virtue, especially when you have clients with very acute needs or you’re dealing with tough insurance or agency standards. Sometimes you’re also swayed by your own biases or countertransference- you might assume YOU know exactly what the client needs.

But to meet people where they are is to offer them true attunement and respect. We don’t get to dictate timelines or outcomes- these variables are never within our control. What we do get to control is how steady and curious we remain. We control our capacity to hold the frame, maintain the container, AND offer a consistent presence as much as possible.

I always find Carl Rogers immensely grounding with his quote: “In my early professional years I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?”♥️

11/25/2025

The holidays are coming and boundaries might feel harder to set, but they're just as important. Here are some scripts you can use.

11/10/2025

Burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s that deep feeling of being a burnt-out match, struggling with a complex set of symptoms. Keep this image handy and check in if you’re experiencing:
• Emotional & physical exhaustion
• Lack of enthusiasm/motivation
• Brain fog / feeling ineffective
• Bigger emotional reactions
Your well-being matters. Time to turn the heat down.

10/25/2025

Another great year at the Counselor Education Collaborative Conference! 🧠
I’m so thankful for VSU’s Counselor Education program for hosting this event. It’s wonderful to see my professors, learn from great presenters, and engage with other mental health professionals in our community. ✨

10/25/2025

If you or anyone you know needs food assistance, help is available.

Use the Pantry Finder on our website to locate food pantries and resources closest to you: FeedingSGA.org/find-help/
Or call us at (888) 453-4143

Our team and partners remain committed to serving our South Georgia communities!

10/19/2025

Please join us for our official Grand Opening on November 8th!

09/26/2025

Today, we pause to recognize National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Su***de Awareness Day.
We remember the EMS professionals we have lost, while raising awareness and reminding every warrior in uniform that help is always within reach.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out:

📱 Crisis Text Line: Text BLUE to 741741 for free, 24/7 confidential support.

☎️ National Su***de Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org

🌐 1st Help: A searchable database of emotional, financial, and spiritual assistance for first responders: https://1sthelp.org

🧡 Warriors Heart: A private, accredited treatment program serving exclusively warriors, military, veterans, and first responders, who are struggling with addiction, PTSD, and other invisible wounds.
Call 855-610-1003 or visit warriorsheart.com

Thank you to First Help for continuing to lead the way in supporting our EMS professionals and first responders.

To all EMS warriors: you are never alone. Your life matters. 💜

***deAwarenessDay

09/23/2025

APA Statement on White House Announcement on Autism https://ow.ly/P6k850X0zCi