Shaileen Martinez, LCSW

Are you thinking about giving therapy a try? Are you looking for a provider who has the ability to understand where you are coming from, and how this affects your life today? Is working with a cultural and/or gender affirming mental health care provider important to you?
If so, reach out to me to set up a free 15 minute consultation call.

Welcome!

My name is Shaileen and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 5 years experience offering therapy. I am a 2nd gen Mexican-American woman living in sunny Southern California.  My licenses allow me to work with people in California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Texas. 

For evaluations, I also serve individuals in the same states but may ask to meet the whole family so I can get lots of valuable information!

Who do I work with? Most of the time I work with:

— adults (18-65) who are stressed out, don’t feel like they used to, anxious, depressed, or are dealing with big life changes or obstacles
— perinatal mothers (from those considering parenthood to 1 year after birthing)
— people who have, or wonder if they have ADHD

But overall, many of the clients that choose to work with me are just looking for a therapist who understands “real life” and has a relaxed style.

*Sometimes in sessions, I may use or share online resources, or I may pull from a book if I think it could be helpful. My priority though is to stay grounded in a perspective that takes into account your whole person and the systems around you.

Expertise Areas:
Anxiety, Depression, Cultural Issues, College or Work Life, Life Transitions, Maternal Mental Health, Peripartum Period, Parenting, Women’s Issues

In my practice, I strive to provide collaborative and feedback informed care so that you feel good about your treatment. I have experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Feedback Informed Care, Interpersonal Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, and often utilize Seeking Safety in my work with others. Depending on the session and need I may also bring in other therapies that could be helpful. Also, I use cultural humility to really understand where the person is coming from, what their needs are, and how to best support them on their journey towards meeting their treatment goals.

People like to know: Location of Self
Important, key parts of my social identities and formation:

1. Gender
Woman
Pronouns: she/her/ella

2. Ethnicity
Mexican-American, Xicanx
Second Generation
Raised in California

3. Languages I speak
English
Spanish (Mexican)

4. Education
— Associate’s Degree (“2 year”) General Studies with 24 units in Early Childhood Development – East Los Angeles College
–Bachelor’s degree (“4 year”) in Psychology – CSU Northridge
–Master of Social Work – CSU Northridge
 
5. Religion
Raised Catholic
More in alignment with Christianity (non-denominational)

Learn more about: My Mission

As a child born to immigrants from Mexico, I am passionate about normalizing mental health talk and improving access to mental health care for all, especially for folks who are marginalized (“people are being pushed both down and out at the same time“). And as a former client myself, I can say 1) I was probably one of the first people in my family to go to therapy for a good amount of time, and 2) my experiences in therapy heavily influenced my path in life after trauma and planted my strong belief in the power of therapy services.

All of the above also drives my desire to advocate for providing culturally affirming care. I believe culturally affirming care provides the environment and foundation needed for building a safe, trusting relationship that can lead to your empowerment and growth.

Also good to know – I’ve worked with individuals and families of all ages and backgrounds at various social, educational, and clinical settings for over 15 years. It might also be helpful for you to know that ADHD is a lived experience for me, especially if this is an area you have questions about.

Tambien hablo español y Spanglish.