MEET
Sam
Sam Merrill, MA, APC, NCC
(she/her/hers)
Licensed Associate Professional Counselor
SPECIALIZATIONS
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Individuals 18+
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Relational Issues
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Therapeutic approaches: EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Trauma and Attachment-Informed Care, and Somatic Interventions
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EMDR Trained, Prepare-Enrich Certified, and trained through Postpartum Support International for perinatal populations
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Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Richmont Graduate University, 2024
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Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Studies & Psychology, University of Tennessee
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Under direct supervision with Deanna Davis, LMFT, LPC, ACS, AAMFT-S, SEP (GA # 011625) and Kim DeRamus Lareau, LPC, CPCS (GA #LPC007839)
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Under direction with Kim D Lareau, LPC, CPCS
RATES
$140 per 50 minute session
Discounted 6 session Premarital Package:
I help women navigate the "heavy" seasons—whether that’s healing from past trauma, surviving the overwhelm of motherhood, or processing relational wounds or grief. My goal is to be a soft landing for you. I don’t just want to help you find better coping strategies; I want to help you create a life where your nervous system feels truly safe. Together, in a space where your story is held with the utmost care, your 'unfelt' emotions can finally have the space to be processed and you can learn the tools to regulate your system and return to a state of calm.
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As a fellow mama, I am particularly passionate about walking alongside women through the complexities of motherhood. Whether you are struggling with a difficult transition in postpartum, feeling buried by the "mental load" and needs of everyone else, or finding your own “stuff” coming up as you parent, you deserve to be seen. Therapy is a space where you get to be the one who is tended to.
My approach is rooted in attachment theory, which helps us understand how your earliest relational bonds shaped the way you show up today. We will look at the survival strategies you’ve leaned on in love, friendship, and even in your relationship with yourself. I also integrate EMDR and Parts Work: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) targets the physiological roots of distress to provide relief from past triggers, and Parts Work invites us to bring compassion to the various 'versions' of yourself that have navigated life’s challenges. This integrated approach ensures that healing isn't just something you talk about, but something you feel deeply in your nervous system—paving the way for connections that feel truly secure and life-giving.
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Because my faith is integral to my own story, I also find it a great honor to provide a safe space for others to process their own spiritual journeys—whether that involves deconstructing beliefs from childhood, healing from spiritual abuse, or rebuilding a foundation that feels safe and authentic to you. I have specialized training for integrating faith and spirituality into counseling if desired, but regardless of where you are on that path, I am here to hold that space with you.
“If we are brave enough to walk into the places of pain and uncertainty, with courage and company, we will find that there is always something there waiting for us. It may be our healing, it may be wisdom, it may be freedom, it may be a reclaiming of a truth that we thought was taken but has been here all along.”
-Hillary McBride
OUR LOCATION
We're proud to offer therapy in Atlanta, at the heart of Decatur, Georgia. Our Oakhurst office is conveniently located near I-20 and I-285. Our counselors are licensed in the state of Georgia and offer virtual therapy to clients residing across the state.
