Stephen von Merz

Clinical Professor Stephen von Merz is a distinguished faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), where he serves as Adjunct Coordinator, and Lead Faculty for the school’s Family Systems Practice Pathway. With over 25 years of bilingual (English/Spanish) clinical social work experience, Professor von Merz has worked across diverse clinical and community-based settings, specializing in intensive in-home family therapy and outpatient therapy. His practice is rooted in evidence-based therapeutic models, including Structural Family Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Multisystemic Therapy (MST).

In addition to his clinical work, Professor von Merz has extensive experience in academic instruction and course development. He has taught academic courses in Spanish and holds extensive international course development experience with a focus on social work and global relations in Mexico and Costa Rica. He is highly skilled in online education, developing and teaching courses in a variety of formats, including synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid models.

As a bilingual consultant, he is recognized for his expertise in culturally responsive family therapy within social work practice. His credentials include certifications in Multisystemic Therapy (MST), Hand-Drumming Therapy with Psychotherapy, Gottman Method Couples Therapy Levels I and II, and secondary trauma resiliency training. He is a licensed clinical social worker in Colorado, committed to advancing the field through both practice and education.