Daniela Gonzalez Martinez

I am a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Drama Therapist based in New York. I work at the intersection of psychology, theater, and creative expression to help people understand their emotions, relationships, and life experiences in new ways.

I currently work in a psychiatric hospital setting in inpatient and partial hospitalization programs, where I support individuals experiencing acute mental health challenges. Alongside this work, I am expanding into outpatient care with individuals who are navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, trauma, identity exploration, and relational stress in less acute settings.

I was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and I am a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). I grew up between languages and communication systems, fluent in American Sign Language, Spanish, and English. This shaped how I understand people: not just through words, but through expression, silence, gesture, story, and emotion.

I earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Drama from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master’s degree in Drama Therapy from New York University. My training and career have combined clinical mental health work with theater, performance, and community-based arts practice. I have also worked extensively as a sign language interpreter and have supported Deaf communities through clinical, educational, and artistic settings.

Across my work in hospitals, community clinics, schools, and theater spaces, I have supported children, adolescents, and adults navigating a wide range of emotional and psychological experiences. I am especially experienced in working with trauma, identity development, emotion regulation, and the impact of systemic and cultural experiences on mental health.

Clients often describe my work as deeply relational, creative, and grounded in trust and respect.

My approach is grounded in drama therapy, which uses storytelling, imagination, role, embodiment, and creative expression as pathways to understanding emotional experience and supporting change.

While my training includes many therapeutic modalities—including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, narrative therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and family systems work—I do not practice from a single method. Instead, I use these approaches flexibly, depending on what each client needs in the moment.

At the center of my work is the belief that people already carry meaning, resilience, and knowledge about their own lives. Therapy is a space where we can slow down, explore patterns, and give shape to experiences that may feel overwhelming, confusing, or unspoken.

Because of my background in theater, I often pay attention to: stories people tell about themselves, emotional “roles” they feel stuck in, patterns that repeat in relationships, and the ways emotions are expressed through body, voice, and imagination.

Therapy with me is not about performance—it is about awareness, expression, and creating new possibilities for how you understand yourself.

I also bring a strong relational and culturally responsive lens to my work. I pay close attention to identity, language, culture, disability, and the ways these shape emotional life and access to care.

The first session is focused on getting to know you and understanding what brings you to therapy at your own pace.

We will talk about: what is currently feeling difficult or overwhelming, what you hope might change or feel different, your personal history (only as much as feels comfortable), and what has or has not been helpful for you in the past.

You do not need to know exactly what to say or have everything figured out before coming in. Part of my role is to help organize and make sense of what you are experiencing.

My priority in the first session is to create a space that feels safe, respectful, and grounded. I move at the pace of the client, and I will not push into topics before you are ready.

Depending on your needs, we may begin to notice patterns, emotions, or themes that can guide our work together. We may also begin identifying goals for therapy, whether that is emotional regulation, healing from past experiences, improving relationships, or gaining clarity in your life.

By the end of the first session, you should have a sense of: what working together might feel like, whether this is a good fit for you, and what the next steps would look like if you choose to continue.