GET TO KNOW DENISE
Denise Martinez
Denise Martinez, M.A., LPC
ncreased self-awareness, establishment of boundaries and increased trust in yourself and others.
self-awareness, establishment of boundaries and increased trust in yourself and others.
Families live in an ever-changing world that feels stressful, chaotic and extremely overwhelming! I have experience helping those who struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief, and substance abuse, to name a few. It is my privilege to be your family counselor, couples counselor or teen counselor, helping you to figure out ways to overcome and manage those roadblocks, and to be someone who will listen and give guidance. I provide a welcoming, non-judgmental, but direct approach and want to help guide you in a positive direction for your life. My approach includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Narrative Therapy.
I help couples, families and teens who are
struggling with trauma, addiction, and major life transitions and stressors.
Life Navigator
I served in the U.S. Navy for four years before beginning my career working with women and children struggling with addiction. I saw how trauma had a direct impact on someone’s emotional, mental, and physical health, and I was eager to help them overcome those challenges and navigate toward a more full and happier life.
Now, I work with the whole family – teens, couples, parents and families – as your life navigator. It is my pleasure to help you and your family maneuver the choppy waters of a stressful, chaotic life. I will help you reduce symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, manage emotions easier, and build self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-confidence
Teen Whisperer
Teens often seem to lack the resilience, problem-solving, and a motivated attitude required to simply get through the school day. Parents aren’t sure how to help their floundering child. It can seem like your sweet child has morphed overnight into a moody adolescent struggling with grades, friends, self-esteem, depression, anxiety and even self-harm or thoughts of suicide. You want them to have good grades, but more than that, you just want them to be happy and content! As a mom, I know exactly how important that is.
You want more peace and calm in the home, but you also want to make sure your child is thriving, confident and resilient.
This is a challenging time for you and your teen, and it’s my job to help you both get on a path to get that peaceful calm back into your home life. Let me help you and your teen reduce the stress from day-to-day demands and learn to live a more positive and optimistic life full of choices that help them feel empowered.
Couples Communication Coach
Being in a relationship is a lot tougher than we thought it would be, and often we’re blindsided by situations that are especially hard to navigate. Couples often come to me feeling like they just don’t know how to communicate anymore, that their feelings aren’t being heard, or that they simply don’t feel like there is the emotional connection there once was. It feels like the love is waning, and that’s scary. As a couples counselor, I will help you and your spouse with your communication, intimacy, and conflict resolution issues. And, I’ll help you build trust and a sense of belonging with your spouse again.
Books I Recommend
Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace in a Frantic World – An inspiring, easy, how-to book on the concept of Mindfulness. Great read for someone new to the practice or an expert in the subject.
Calming Your Anxious Brain – This is a practical guide and a great reminder for how to identify and cope with anxiety
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s All Small Stuff – I recommend this book because it is a fun, invigorating read to remind us to not take things too seriously.
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain – A great book for parents to understand the teen brain. A must read!
MORE ABOUT ME
Helping families, parents and teens navigate these tough years is what I love most. For teens, oftentimes working with your teen is considered a coaching relationship – a space to learn resilience, self-worth, grit, and how to navigate these challenging years a bit easier. Parents learn about the teen brain, and how to have a relationship that helps, not one that creates more distance and barriers. Marriages get stronger in the midst of all the chaos. I want you to be a closer family, not one with tension, stress and anxiety.
And, I teach self-care while doing it myself! In my off hours, I spend time with my own family, a husband of 21 years and 3 children. I run, regularly do yoga, and hang out with my husband binge-watching movies.
M.A. Argosy University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
B.S. Texas Woman’s University, Psychology
Licensed Professional Counselor
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
U.S. Navy Veteren
Wife for 21 years, Mother to three children
THE FINE PRINT
WHO I SERVE: Adults, Families, Teens, Couples
FEE: $125 for 50-minute session
Insurance: BCBS and United Healthcare
Licensed Professional Counselor #74017