Grace Martin (she/her)

One of my greatest passions as a therapist is helping women to heal from wounds caused by the patriarchy. I am knowledgeable about feminist issues such as emotional labor, the male gaze, power and privilege, and sexology, and focus on these throughout my work with women.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, working with people in romantic relationships is something I am highly trained to do. I work with couples and people of alternative relationship constellations to recognize the reciprocal patterns that have formed between them, gain insight into why they are happening, and learn healthier communication strategies.

In our capitalistic society, anxiety is an affliction almost no one can avoid. I approach your anxiety from the root, seeking to help soothe your nervous system physically through body-based interventions such as yoga and breathing as well as implementing healthy routines of sleep, exercise and eating. I also use CBT interventions to help challenge anxious and negative thoughts.

My approach to relationship counseling comes from my training in Integrative Systemic Therapy, in which we analyze the positive feedback loops that occur between people and solidify unhealthy patterns of relating, and discover ways to change these sequences to become more responsive than reactive. I am trained in aspects of the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Imago, and Attachment Theory.

I use my training in Family Systems to conceptualize presenting problems you may have in a relational way, rather than approaching one person as the "identified patient" thought to be the one with the mental disorder. When a problem is viewed as relational rather than as one person's "fault", we can discover new ways of healing such as identifying intergenerational trauma, creating better boundaries, learning communication skills, and cultivating more honesty, safety and ease in relationships.

Based on research, CBT is known as one of the most effective treatments to use in therapy. I employ elements of CBT with all of my clients to help you identify the thoughts that lead to maladaptive behaviors and negative emotions, learn the terms for these unhelpful thoughts, as well as coping skills for combatting and replacing them with more rational and positive ones. We will also identify goals for behavior and practice new coping skills.

As a Sex Therapist in training at Adler University, I have advanced knowledge about treating sexual dysfunctions such as anorgasmia (inability to orgasm), erectile dysfunction (lack of or inconsistency of getting erections), vaginismus (painful sex), desire discrepancy (different levels of sexual desire in romantic relationships).

I am in training at Adler University to become a Certified Sex Therapist. I approach sex therapy with individuals and partners using a nonjudgemental, open frame of mind. I am kink, polyamorous, sex worker, and LGBTQIA+ affirming. We will use your language in session- I believe it is important to call sex what it is rather than using euphemisms like "intimacy"! I utilize specialized assessments, psychoeducation, worksheets, "homework" assignments, and mindfulness to help my clients.

EFT is a relational therapy based on your attachment style, which is learned in childhood, and primary emotion expression. The 4 attachment styles are Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized. Primary emotions are core emotions that lie beneath your behaviors and thoughts, and provide information. As a therapist, I identify how your attachment style affects you in your current relationships and help you name and express the primary emotions you experience in conflict.