Marilyn Verbiscer, LMFT

Marilyn Verbiscer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 24 years of experience. She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship strain, grief, and struggles with sleep or self-esteem. Parents who are worn out by daily demands can also find practical guidance for parenting and blended family challenges.

She uses clear, goal-focused methods in sessions. Marilyn draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients clarify values and build action toward them.

Marilyn has a history of working on relationship and intimacy concerns, including communication problems, infidelity recovery, divorce and separation, and sexual dysfunction. She also supports people dealing with mood disorders, seasonal affective disorder, anger, and stopping smoking or vaping.

Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Child Development and Family Studies from Purdue University. She holds the LMFT credential and is licensed in Illinois and Indiana as an LMFT. Marilyn has published and presented on topics such as infidelity and tele-mental health, and she has taught psychology courses at the university level.

In sessions she favors weekly live video meetings, which she finds often speed progress. She also offers phone calls, live chat, and text-based messaging for follow-up and brief check-ins to fit different schedules.

How therapy methods translate to online care

Marilyn commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and test new behaviors. CBT is practical and problem-focused, and it suits issues like anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and smoking cessation.

She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which helps people clarify what matters most and take steady action toward those values even when feelings are difficult. ACT is often helpful for coping with grief, chronic stress, and life changes. For relationship work she uses Gottman Method ideas and solution-focused strategies to improve communication and set clear goals for interactions.

Finding the right approach is a shared process. Marilyn will discuss goals, preferences, and daily realities with each person and then shape techniques that fit their needs. She adapts tools over time based on what is helping and what is not, so therapy stays practical and goal-oriented.

Online sessions come in several formats: live video calls for full-length weekly sessions, phone sessions when video is not possible, and live chat or text-based messaging for quick check-ins and brief support. Video sessions let therapists observe nonverbal cues and use interactive exercises. Phone calls are useful when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Text and chat can help sustain progress between longer meetings and make scheduling more flexible.