Dr. Emily Martinez

I'm Dr. Emily Martinez, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and I work with adults who find themselves overthinking, struggling to set boundaries, questioning their self-worth, or repeating the same patterns in their relationships.

Maybe you keep attracting the same type of partner, struggle to speak up for yourself, or find yourself losing your identity in relationships. You might be navigating a breakup, healing from infidelity, feeling disconnected from yourself, or wondering why you keep putting everyone else's needs before your own. Or perhaps anxiety and self-doubt have made it difficult to trust yourself and your decisions.

I help individuals understand the patterns that keep them stuck, explore how past experiences influence their relationships, and develop the confidence and skills to make meaningful changes.

I earned my Doctor of Social Work and Master of Social Work from Monmouth University. My specialties include anxiety, relationship and dating challenges, attachment patterns, boundaries, self-esteem, identity, and life transitions.

I am offering a warm, collaborative, and culturally responsive space where we can explore what's happening and figure out what to do differently.

My approach to therapy is hands-on, creative, and collaborative. I don't believe therapy should be one-size-fits-all, and I'm not the kind of therapist who will simply sit back, nod, and ask, “How does that make you feel?” for an hour. I want us to figure things out together.

I believe understanding why you feel or behave a certain way is important, but I also want to help you figure out what to do differently. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, overthinking, boundaries, self-worth, or repeating the same patterns in relationships, we'll work on understanding what's keeping you stuck and finding practical ways to move forward.

I draw from CBT, DBT, attachment-based approaches, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Gottman-informed techniques. Depending on your needs, our sessions might include conversation, customized worksheets, diagrams, visualization exercises, identifying patterns, or practicing skills you can use in everyday life.

I also value your feedback. If something isn't working, we'll adjust. My goal is for therapy to feel like a conversation where you're actively involved, supported, and sometimes challenged to look at things differently. Ultimately, I want you to leave therapy feeling more confident in yourself, more comfortable expressing your needs, and better equipped to navigate life's challenges and relationships.

Our first session is really about getting to know you, not just your symptoms or the challenges that brought you to therapy. I want to understand who you are, what's been going on in your life, and what you're hoping to get out of our work together.

We'll talk about what's been weighing on you, any patterns you've started noticing, and what you'd like to see change. If you've been in therapy before, I'll also want to know what worked for you, what didn't, and what you wish had been different.

You don't need to come in with everything figured out or even know exactly where to start. That's something we can work through together. I also know that opening up to someone new can feel uncomfortable, so we'll move at a pace that feels right for you.

As we get to know each other, we'll identify your goals and develop a plan that makes sense for your life. You can expect our sessions to feel like a genuine conversation where you're heard, supported, encouraged to ask questions, and challenged when needed. I want you to feel comfortable being yourself while knowing we're working toward meaningful change.