New counseling clinic opens in Merrill with no waiting list

A new mental health clinic has opened in Merrill, offering counseling services without the lengthy wait times that have become common in the field.
Behavioral Health Clinic (BHC), located at 100 S. Mill St., Ste. 104 (next to and just west of the DMV), opened its Merrill location on July 1, 2025, bringing experienced counselors to serve Lincoln County and surrounding areas.
“We don’t have a wait list in Merrill right now, which is a really awesome thing,” said Sami Hamman, a licensed professional counselor who will split her time between the Merrill and Wausau offices. “We love, love, love that. We want to keep it that way.”
The staffing shortage that has created long waiting lists at many mental health facilities makes the Merrill clinic’s immediate availability particularly significant. Hamman noted that many places in the area have waiting lists that extend for months.
“If you want to get in within a month, we can very much make that happen at any of our locations,” Hamman said. “We’re constantly hiring more counselors too, so we’re trying to stay ahead of that curve so that wait list isn’t a problem.”

The Merrill office is staffed by four mental health professionals. Michelle Lassa is a licensed professional counselor who works with clients age 16 and older, specializing in work with teens, adults, couples, and families, including prenatal and postnatal counseling. Kersten Zehner is a licensed professional counselor in training who specializes in working with children and recently graduated with her master’s degree. Taylor Krueger, a Merrill High School graduate, is completing a one-year internship while finishing graduate school.
Hamman, also a Merrill graduate, brings four years of experience with BHC and specializes in eating disorders, anxiety, depression, couples counseling, and family therapy. She works with clients age four and up.
“Counseling looks different for everyone. It doesn’t have to look a certain way,” Hamman said. “We really want to break the stigma around that because counseling can look differently for everyone.”
The clinic takes many health insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, and offers self-pay options for those without insurance. Staff work with the billing department to ensure clients understand costs before their first appointment.
“We want people to feel comfortable cost-wise coming in,” Hamman said. “We don’t want any surprises with cost.”
BHC was founded more than 10 years ago in Wausau by Dr. Shannon Schaefer and has since expanded to multiple locations including Stevens Point, Madison, Grafton, and Sheboygan. The company provides counseling services, ADHD and autism assessments, medication management, and speech and language pathology services.
“What’s really beneficial at BHC is kind of like a collaborative approach,” Hamman said. “If I have a client that’s coming to me for counseling services but also needs assessments or medication management, we can kind of do a collaborative approach, get them in sooner than if they had to wait outside of BHC.”
The counselors emphasize that mental health services can benefit anyone, not just those in crisis.
Some people think they shouldn’t seek services because they aren’t doing “bad enough” to justify getting counseling or speaking with someone. They think, “Well, I’m not depressed enough, or I’m not bad enough, or I’m not struggling enough. And we really want to break the stigma around that,” Hamman said. “Someone might come in for stress management and managing anxiety and wanting some coping skills and tools.”
Treatment typically begins with weekly sessions, with the goal of spacing appointments further apart over time.
“The goal of counseling is to move those sessions out,” Hamman said. “I don’t want you to be attached to me for the rest of time. That’s not the goal.”
The clinic will host an Open House on Wednesday, Aug. 7, from noon to 2 p.m. to give community members a chance to meet the staff and tour the facility. Light refreshments will be provided, and some clinicians will be available for a meet and greet. Everyone is welcome to attend.
“Come see where our office is. See where the front door is, because it reduces that anxiety of a new place,” Hamman said. “You can kind of come in and see what the vibe is here, scope it out.”
For Hamman, bringing mental health services to her hometown holds special significance.
“Merrill holds a special place in my heart. I graduated from Merrill High, and I feel like it already has so many really good resources,” she said. “We want to be another touch base, a safe place and a confidential place for people to feel like they can better themselves.”
The Northwoods region has historically had limited mental health resources, making the new clinic an important addition to available services.
“The Northwoods don’t have a ton of resources. There’s not a ton in Tomahawk, there’s not a ton in Rhinelander,” Hamman said. “We want to kind of keep spreading north for the folks that need more resources here.”
This new location will offer a full range of mental health services, including therapy, psychological assessments, psychiatric care, and medication management for children, teens, and adults. With a growing team of more than 100 providers and staff across Wisconsin, Behavior Health Clinics are committed to making high-quality mental health care more accessible to the communities that need it.
“We’re so happy to be opening our doors in Merrill,” said Schaefer, Ph.D., and member/owner of BHC. “Our mission has always been about making quality care easier to reach, and we’re looking forward to supporting this community in every way we can.”
For appointmentns or questions, call the clinic at 855.607.8242. More information is also available at wibehavioralhealth.com and on their Facebook page.