Erika Martinez

I have extensive experience working with children and teens in therapy. But these days, I only offer psychological testing and evaluations for children and teens. These include IQ/Gifted, ADHD, learning disorders, and career/aptitude testing.

I was extensively trained in CBT, but it's not my preferred approach to therapy. I use it mostly in the initial phases to help stabilize clients before doing deeper work.

There are probably two starting points that stand out. I was always intuitive about people from a young age and a bookworm. My father’s backseat was littered with his books and notes from his graduate psychology program. So when I was 9 or 10, I opened up one of the books and started reading while in traffic. At some point, I told him I thought a family member had Borderline Personality Disorder. While it freaked him out, he told me I was correct and that piqued my curiosity - here was a new way of understanding people. Then during high school, I realized that most of the topics I enjoyed studying in English, History, science, etc. all shared a thread: psychology. Specifically, trying to understand people, their nature, their wounds, what made them tick.

Therapists are like jeans. We're not one-size-fits-all and we come in all kinds and styles. The right therapist for you is like your favorite pair of jeans - they just fit you well. It's that connection that best determines the effectiveness of therapy. Also, therapists work for you. That means you can fire them if it's not working out. So go ahead and try on a bunch of different therapists until you find the one you click with.

I'm kind, compassionate, empathetic, and insightful. I'm also a matter-of-fact, straight shooter. I like getting down to the meaty, hard topics and conversations. I show up to sessions prepared and expect my clients to do the same. People who expect to be passive in therapy and that I'm going to "fix" them are not a good fit for my style or approach to therapy.

I specialize in therapy for adults who have experienced complex relational trauma (C-PTSD), developmental/attachment trauma.

I have moderate competency in ACT. It's an approach I am completing additional training for.

While I am not a certified EFT couples therapist, I have completed ICEEFT's Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Level 1 and will complete Level 2 in Fall 2021.

I've been using IFS successfully with clients for many years. It's one of my preferred treatment approaches.

Psychodynamic therapy, particularly from the ORT school, is my preferred treatment approach.

I use a HIPAA-complaint telehealth platform to provide therapy remotely to clients throughout the state of Florida.

I specialize in providing therapy to the adult children of parents with Borderline personality.

Narrative therapy is one of my preferred and most successful treatment approaches.

I provided psychological and vocational aptitude evaluations for Florida's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for several years. Now I use that experience to offer high school and college students and career changers guidance on selecting a vocational path that best aligns with them.

I've been using existential interventions successfully with clients for many years. It's one of my preferred treatment approaches.

When appropriate, I do offer coaching services. I also incorporate coaching strategies into therapy.

As a neuropsychologist, I have extensive experience in psychological assessment and evaluation, ranging from IQ/Gifted testing, ADHD testing, learning disorders, psychodiagnostic assessments, and neuropsychological evaluations.