Zamanda Martinez LPC

I was inspired to become a mental health professional in the 7th grade after getting help from a school counselor who taught me how to process my emotions by journaling. I began to read more about mental health to learn more about myself and others. I decided when I went to college I was going to study psychology to learn more about human behavior and then applied to graduate school to become a therapist! I began my journey in community college and then went to UTA for my bachelors in psychology, then my masters in counseling at Texas Wesleyan University. After countless hours and training, there is no other job I'd rather have, I enjoy holding space for people in their journeys to live healthier and thriving lives.

My experience as a first gen who struggled with my own mental health as a teen and young adult has made my profession as a mental health provider that much more special. I had first hand experience with feeling alone while learning to adapt to a new culture outside of my home in college and in the work place. This made assertiveness and speaking up in the professional world more nerve wrecking! I felt I didn't quite belong anywhere, I was often left feeling nobody truly shared my unique individual experience and perspectives. This led me to recognize that there is no true way a community or a label could 100% capture my unique thought process I experienced as an individual. This experience taught me the importance of seeing my clients with fresh eyes, without placing a label on them, or putting them in a box regardless of their background. I like to provide a space for my clients to explore the depths of who they are to the core without them feeling like they 'should be this or that'. I have seen my clients struggling with similar things such as difficulty speaking up in their professional environments, relationships and with family. I love to utilize a brain-body based therapy called brainspotting, as it accesses the subcortical part of the brain where emotions live, even those we have no words to. This psychotherapeutic technique is effective in helping individuals develop a stronger connection to their intuition as well as get through those mental blocks that have held you back for so long. It is a remarkable technique to help uncover your potential and accelerate the healing process that would normally take years in talk therapy. The best part is clients don't have to talk about what they are processing if they don't want to! My clients appreciate that I am open to their unique world view without judgement.

I am naturally a non- judgmental person outside of therapy. I am a human and I realize we all have a bias, However, it has been one of my pet peeves since childhood to hear others be so critical of those that think or live differently than they do. Outside of therapy I am pretty much the same person. I care about human hearts and am very empathetic to your own unique story. I'd love to hold space for you while you tell it!

• Texas, Licensed Professional Counselor, 83862

I worked in community mental health during my graduate training. I worked with children, teens and adults who were victims of crime and abuse. I also have experience in case management utilizing a holistic approach to client care. After graduating I began working in private practice doing behavioral health assessments for clients going through the immigration process with their family members. These assessments provided me with knowledge and skills to assess those with PTSD, anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as attachment wounds. I have also worked with teens and adults who struggle with these symptoms along with issues such as ADHD and performance anxiety. I work best with teens and young adults who feel their symptoms have caused them to feel like " the black sheep" not really feeling like they truly belong anywhere due to bicultural straddling, ADHD or simply marching to the beat of their own drum in a world where society tends to try to put people in a box. My clients appreciate that they are seen and accepted for who they are as a human being treatment tailored to their own unique experiences.