Desiree Martinez

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor providing virtual therapy for adolescents and adults. I specialize in supporting clients navigating perfectionism, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, unexpected life transitions, and relationship challenges — both with oneself and others. I am especially passionate about helping adolescents and young adults as they explore identity development, emotional regulation, and navigating high-pressure environments.

I earned my Master’s in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Houston, where I also completed my Bachelor’s in Psychology. My clinical training includes CBT, DBT, and ACT-informed treatment, and I have completed EMDR training and Sand Tray Therapy Levels 1–4 to deepen my trauma-informed work. I am also a Certified Daring WayTM Facilitator, integrating shame resilience, vulnerability, and wholehearted living into therapy.

As a Mexican-American Latina, I practice from a multicultural, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive lens. I am devoted to serving diverse populations and continuously learning to ensure my work is inclusive, affirming, and mindful of each person’s lived experience.

At the core of my practice is the belief that healing happens within authentic, compassionate, and secure relationships. I aim to create a virtual space where you feel safe to be vulnerable, explore your experiences, and grow in ways that feel empowering and sustainable.

Outside of therapy, you can usually find me reading my fantasy books and singing Broadway soundtracks at full volume.

My approach is integrative, relational, and skill-based. I primarily draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), while also integrating narrative therapy, expressive interventions, and experiential modalities like EMDR and sand tray therapy when clinically appropriate.

I balance insight with action. Together, we will explore patterns, core beliefs, and emotional wounds that may be shaping your experiences — while also building practical skills to regulate emotions, tolerate distress, improve relationships, and make values-aligned decisions.

I approach therapy with both warmth and structure. My style is collaborative, compassionate, and direct when needed. I meet clients where they are, gently challenge when appropriate, and focus on helping you reconnect with your strengths, clarify your values, and move toward a grounded and empowered version of yourself. Therapy with me is not about “fixing” you — it’s about creating a path toward growth, healing, and resilience.

Your first session is about connection and clarity.

We will take time to get to know each other — what brings you to therapy, what you’ve already tried, what feels heavy, and what feels hopeful. I will ask questions to understand your history, current stressors, relationships, and goals. If needed, we may explore immediate coping strategies or safety planning so you feel supported from the start.

By the end of our first session, my goal is for you to feel:

• Heard and understood
• Clear about next steps
• Hopeful that change is possible

Together, we will begin identifying meaningful goals and what progress would look like for you. Some clients seek symptom relief and skill-building; others want deeper trauma processing or relational repair. We will collaboratively create a plan that aligns with your needs and pace.

Above all, you can expect a calm, grounded, and nonjudgmental virtual space where vulnerability is met with respect, compassion, and steady support.