Mercedes Spicer, MSW, CSSW, APSW

Advanced Practice Social Worker

Certified School Social Worker

Child, Adolescent and Family Psychotherapist

I follow Mark Twain’s somewhat cliché recommendation, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 

Part of the mental health profession for close to a decade, I have a strong commitment and compassion for supporting the mental health needs of children and families. I have an eclectic, holistic, realistic, and client centered approach. I strive to create a space where even the littlest voices can be heard, understood, and supported wherever they are on their recovery journey. Connectedness to others is the heart of my work.

I believe that building a strong trusting rapport is fundamental to effectively treating the symptoms of our youngest, misunderstood, and/or challenging children. This client-therapist relationship allows me to support the child (and/or family) to break down and work on areas of function/dysfunction, promote desirable change, collectively create and trial interventions, while decrease existing barriers to growth and recovery. I am especially passionate about serving under-privileged and diverse populations who experience increased barriers due to systemic dysfunction. 

I have a passion for and can provide services for youth/families who present their struggles and emotions via escalated, impulsive, and aggressive behaviors. Utilizing a mix of humor, humility, honesty, and cultural awareness I connect and support individuals to prioritize healing and promote personal growth. 

I am knowledgeable about community resources, a friendly, non-judgmental, optimistic therapist who encourages resiliency, yet remains grounded in reality. I am committed to supporting you and your child through the hard work.

I have experience working with children and families who have sought services for concerns and challenges with trauma, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, disordered eating, grief, stress, OCD tendencies, LBGTQ+ struggles, racial identity, sex trafficking, mood, conduct, social and neurocognitive disorders, to name a few. I have practiced in variety of settings including intensive youth and adolescent secure residential programming, inpatient care, alternative school programming for dually diagnosed ASD adolescents, at-risk public school-based services, as well as in-home and outpatient clinics.

If you feel Mercedes may be a great fit for your child, Call or email today to schedule a free 10-minute consultation.

*Mercedes can accept the following forms of payment: Private Pay (sliding scale for those that qualify), Quartz Insurance (all plans), straight Medicaid, and Dane County CCS enrolled individuals.