Elizabeth Martinez, LCSW

Elizabeth Martinez is a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of experience practicing in Illinois. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, depression, or big life changes. Her approach aims to make the first steps toward change less daunting and more manageable. She creates a calm, nonjudgmental space where people can talk about difficult thoughts and feelings. Sessions focus on practical steps that match each person's goals. She works alongside clients to build small, doable skills for coping and day-to-day relief. Elizabeth draws on several therapy methods to shape conversations and homework. She uses tools from cognitive behavioral approaches to spot thinking patterns. She also brings mindfulness and acceptance-based ideas to help people tolerate strong feelings without getting stuck. People often come with relationship stress, trouble trusting, guilt, or problems with commitment and communication. She also supports those dealing with caregiver strain, aging concerns, dissociation, or recovery after separation. Assessment of the problem guides whether to emphasize emotion skills, problem-solving, or longer-term narrative work. Her work is collaborative and paced to the client's comfort. She explains options clearly and checks in about what is helpful. If you want someone who listens and helps plan the next steps, she can be a steady presence during change.

How specific approaches can help in online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and choose actions that align with their values. It can be useful for someone stuck in avoidance or wanting clearer direction during life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thinking and replaces it with practical behavior experiments and coping strategies. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress that respond to structured practice. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emphasizes emotion regulation and distress-tolerance skills, useful when strong emotions or impulsive reactions cause problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals and preferences and will adjust methods as needed. That shared process helps pick tools that feel useful and realistic for everyday life.

Confirm the current online session options before booking. In general, online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions around work and family life and limit travel time. It can also allow for shorter check-in meetings or sessions without camera use when that fits better. These practical options can help therapy be a steady part of a busy schedule rather than an added burden.