Merna ElSols, MMFT

Merna ElSols, MMFT is the Assistant Child and Teen Director at The Refuge Center. She earned her degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Lipscomb University. She is also a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Merna has a BA in Psychology from Lipscomb University. Her bachelor’s degree has prepared her to teach and facilitate active learning in the classroom and the community as a preschool teacher, a youth servant, and a community educator.

Merna uses a person-centered, integrative, and systemic approach to help individuals and families increase their emotional expression and enhance their communication styles. She believes that the answers to many of the struggles we go through in life come from within us and that, through effective communication and emotional disclosure, we can build stronger relationships to endure any life hardship we encounter. Merna is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Brainspotting (Phase I & II), ASIST Method, and Mental Health First Aid. She is also a QPR Gatekeeper Instructor and a Prepare/Enrich Facilitator; Merna continues to receive training in Gottman Method, Restoration Therapy, TraumaPlay, and play therapy. She is passionate about working with individuals and families from all walks of life and witnessing their growth and development of self-confidence, grace, compassion, and emotional expression.