

Hi there! I’m so glad you found your way here, I’m Merlyn. What drew me to therapy wasn’t theory, but the quiet moment when someone feels safe enough to exhale, speak their truth, and realize they were never too much to be understood. Healing isn’t about fixing yourself; it’s about understanding the parts of you that had to fight, protect, and survive.
I also provide Christian-integrated counseling for women who share this faith, helping you explore your struggles through both science and Scripture, where psychology and God’s truth work together beautifully. This blend honors both emotional and spiritual healing, creating space for restoration that feels whole and grounded.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Florida and the founder of Merlyn Asencio Psychotherapy & Wellness, LLC. I specialize in working with high-functioning women, the ones who appear composed, capable, and self-aware, yet feel anxious, disconnected, or exhausted on the inside. As the creator of The Merlyn MethodTM, I combine attachment-based EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and narrative therapy to help you reconnect with your voice, rebuild confidence, and experience peace that lasts beyond the session.
A person may not be able to change tough situations from the past; however, I strongly believe they can strive for healthier understandings and resolutions of present challenges in their lives. My approach to therapy is holistic to help you gain insight and awareness of your capabilities and choices in life. Utilizing an integrative approach, a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy, I modify my technique based on your individual needs.
Therapy allows for personal growth and the exploration of daily struggles. As a licensed therapist, I help clients cope with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues including anxiety, depression, identity, phobias, relationship issues, trauma, loss, anger management, and life transitions.
I have a background in special education, adult education, and community counseling. I have worked with clients in a myriad of settings and have taught at the high school and college level. I am looking forward to working with you.
I'm Karina Astigarrabia Ferraz, PMHNP-BC — a Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner practicing in Florida. Before specializing in psychiatry, I spent years as a Board certified nurse in cardiac intensive care, an experience that deepened my understanding of how the mind and body are inseparable. That background shapes the way I practice: I see mental health as rooted in biology, physiology, and lived experience — not just symptoms to be managed. I believe therapy is one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in mental health care. My work centers on evidence-based approaches — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Interpersonal Therapy — integrated with a positive psychiatry framework that focuses on your strengths, resilience, and capacity to heal. When medication is appropriate, I incorporate it thoughtfully as part of a broader, individualized plan. Clients often describe me as warm, unhurried, and genuinely curious about their lives. I collaborate with Brain X Dynamics as an independent clinician, sharing a commitment to whole-person, holistic care — including attention to brain metabolism and the biological foundations of emotional well-being.
My path to becoming a mental health provider grew out of a combination of personal experience, professional curiosity, and a deep desire to help others feel empowered in their own lives. Early experiences with trauma shaped the way I understand healing, resilience, and the importance of having support during life’s most overwhelming moments. While challenging, those experiences ultimately planted the seed for what would become my career.
I am deeply interested in the ways people adapt, survive, and make meaning out of hardship. This led me to pursue formal training in trauma-informed care and evidence-based therapeutic approaches, along with a commitment to ongoing continuing education. Over more than a decade of practice, I have supported individuals navigating trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, family violence, grief, and major life transitions.










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