Dr. Merlo is a licensed clinical psychologist who has completed postdoctoral fellowships in clinical child/pediatric psychology and drug abuse epidemiology and prevention. She is a professor of psychiatry and currently serves as Director of Wellness Programs for the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Merlo’s research focuses primarily on physicians and other healthcare professionals with potentially-impairing conditions and clinician wellbeing. She is active in the education of medical students, residents, and other health profession students, and provides presentations and trainings on MI for faculty and students throughout the UF Health Sciences Center. She also collaborates with faculty from other colleges and universities, as well as the Area Health Education Centers across Florida, to provide training in MI for health professions students, tobacco cessation counselors, school personnel, and other healthcare providers.
I was initially trained in MI in 2002 and then completed a TNT in 2003 in Albuquerque, NM. Since that time, I have been involved as a therapist or trainer on multiple research trials involving MI interventions with various populations. I have also conducted trainings for a wide range of audiences (medical students/residents/physicians; social workers; mental health professionals and trainees; dental practitioners and trainees; nurses and nursing students; school personnel; tobacco cessation specialists; specialty treatment center staff; health department personnel; drug courts; physician health programs, etc.). The practice of MI guides my personal approach to psychotherapy and consultation, and also influences my teaching and research efforts.
Please check out my MI demonstration videos at: https://www.youtube.com/@MerloLab
