Experience

Sonja Merz, MA, LMFT

WA state Marriage and Family Therapist
License # LF 60070301
National Provider Identification # 1700114279
Clinical Member of AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy)

Professional Experience

July 2012-Current
Sonja Merz, MA, LMFT, PLLC
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Bellevue, WA

• Private practice, providing outpatient psychotherapy for couples, individual adults, families, and children.
• Areas of specialties include trauma, human development, Marriage Therapy, Anxiety, Depression, family and couple’s relationships, and communication.
• Therapeutic treatment approaches include, Mind-sight, Somatic Experiencing, Emotionally Focused Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), The work from Gabor Mate, and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

Oct 2009-July 2012
River Valley Psychological Services
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Issaquah, WA

• Private practice, providing outpatient psychotherapy for individual adults, families, couples and children.
• Areas of specialty include, family therapy, Marriage therapy, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, and Personality Disorders.
• Therapeutic Treatment approaches include, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focus Therapy, Gottman Approach, Object Relations, Play Therapy, and Mind-sight.

• Earned my medical license in CA as an LMFCC

Jan 2001 – Feb 2003
Regional Center of the East Bay
Early Intervention Case Manager, Service Coordinator, Infant Specialist
Oakland, CA

• Provided service coordination, created Individual family service plans, counseling, and located resources for families with children ages 0-3 with delays in development.
• Preformed developmental assessments screenings for children with delays in development, using the Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP). The population included children born with medical complication, genetic disorders, Autism, and delays in speech, social/emotional development, sensory integration, fine motor, and gross motor skills, to set up services that will address the specific delays in the child’s development
• Managed a case load of 70-100 families, providing concise written reports and verbal presentations.

Apr 2000 – Dec 2000
County Children and Family Social Services
Family Service Worker, Dependency Investigation
Oakland, CA

• Assisted Child Welfare Workers with casework; supervised family visits; located resources and performed collateral contacts and follow ups.

Aug 1999 – Apr 2000
Bay Area Youth Centers
Residential Treatment Supervisor
Hayward, CA

• Supervised group home for six adolescents in a milieu setting; created and enforced house program and individual treatment plans; facilitated weekly group sessions.
• Managed staff of three childcare workers, including training/evaluation/discipline/hiring/termination; oversaw all financial/operational management, including budget expenses, maintenance, and special funds or grants.

Feb 1999 – Sept 1999
Northern California Family Center
Foster Program Social Worker, Case Manager
Martinez, CA

• Provided counseling for families and individual adults/children;
• Worked with runaway/homeless youth in crisis, providing short term foster placement.
• Conducted mediation services for runaway youths and their families.
• Performed outreach networking with schools/organizations in the community regarding NCFC’s services.
• Conducted trainings for Foster Family certification, preparing foster families for state certification

September 1995 – June 1998
John F. Kennedy Community Counseling Center
Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee
Pleasant Hill, CA

• Conducted general counseling for a diverse population of individual adults, children, and families
• Attended weekly individual and group supervision.
• Member of evaluation committee, clinically reviewing/assessing treatment needs, using bio-psychosocial model, making appropriate referrals and follow-ups.
• Telephone crisis counseling, screenings, and intakes.

June 1994 – August 1995
Vinfen Corporation
Residential Treatment Counselor
Cambridge MA

• Performed direct care/assessment/task analysis for four developmentally delayed adults.
• Human rights officer for residents.
• Case Manager for one resident.
• Managed residents with assaulting and self injurious behavior.
• Allotted medication, documented health concerns, made appropriate referrals/follow-ups.

Education

• Master of Arts – Counseling Psychology, John F. Kennedy University, Orinda, CA – 1998
• Bachelor of Arts – Psychology, Curry College, Milton, MA – 1993