Dr. Gisela Martinez

I am a bilingual Mexican-American psychotherapist, clinical social worker, and Maryland LCSW-C with over 10 years of experience supporting adolescents, adults, and families across outpatient and crisis settings. As a Latina clinician, I am especially committed to supporting Latine, immigrant, and bicultural clients in navigating identity, family dynamics, systemic stressors, and intergenerational trauma. I provide therapy in both English and Spanish and strive to create a therapeutic space that is respectful, collaborative, and affirming of each client’s lived experience. My education, including a Doctorate in Social Work, and my work in culturally responsive practice, social justice, and intergenerational trauma inform my commitment to helping clients develop insight, heal, and build long-term resilience.

My approach to therapy is relational, culturally grounded, and trauma-informed, shaped by more than a decade of clinical work with young adults, families, and individuals navigating crisis, trauma, anxiety, depression, identity concerns, and major life transitions. I work with clients by helping them slow down what feels overwhelming, understand the patterns that developed for survival, and build practical tools for emotional regulation, communication, boundaries, and healing. My style is warm and collaborative, but also active and honest; I believe therapy should feel supportive while also helping clients make meaningful connections between their lived experiences, family history, culture, relationships, and current stressors. I integrate evidence-based approaches such as ACT, CBT, TF-CBT, DBT, crisis intervention, and strengths-based care, while remaining attentive to the impact of immigration, bicultural identity, systemic stress, and intergenerational trauma. As a bilingual Latina clinician, I offer therapy in English and Spanish and strive to create a space where clients, especially Latine and immigrant clients, feel seen with nuance, dignity, and cultural understanding.

In our first session, I focus on understanding what has brought you to therapy, what you have been carrying, and what you hope will feel different. I will ask questions about your current concerns, personal and family history, culture, relationships, strengths, safety, and goals, while also leaving room for you to share at your own pace. My style is warm, direct, collaborative, and culturally aware; I want clients to feel respected, not pathologized, and to leave with a clearer sense of where we can begin. As a bilingual Latina therapist, I pay close attention to the ways culture, identity, family expectations, intergenerational trauma, and systemic stress can shape how people cope and heal. The first session is not about having all the answers; it is about beginning a trusting relationship and creating a plan that feels meaningful, practical, and connected to your lived experience.