Elizabeth Martinez, LCSW

Elizabeth Martinez is a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of practice in Illinois. She helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, trauma, or depression. She also supports those adjusting to big life changes.

Her sessions are straightforward and grounded. She aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where people can say what they think and feel. Conversations focus on concrete steps and strategies people can try between meetings.

Elizabeth draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy along with mindfulness and motivational interviewing. Those approaches give her a set of tools to address symptoms, habits, and patterns that get in the way of daily life. She tailors each plan to a person’s situation rather than using a one-size-fits-all method.

Typical work includes identifying unhelpful thoughts, practicing new coping skills, and building routines that support mood and functioning. She also helps people process difficult experiences like trauma or loss and manage feelings such as guilt, shame, or abandonment.

Sessions are offered through video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs. People in Illinois can expect practical focus, calm guidance, and a partnership approach to change.

Practical approaches for online therapy and skill building

Elizabeth uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify unhelpful thoughts and test small behavior changes that reduce anxiety and low mood. CBT focuses on breaking patterns by changing thinking and routine in everyday life.

She also draws from acceptance and commitment therapy, which helps people notice difficult feelings without getting stuck and commit to actions that matter to them. Dialectical behavior therapy contributes skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and clearer communication when emotions run high.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist and the person talk about goals, try techniques, and adapt methods that feel useful. That collaborative process helps decide whether CBT, ACT, DBT skills, or a mix fits best for the situation.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to match different needs. Video is useful for longer therapy and skill practice. Phone can work when bandwidth is limited or for a focused check-in. Live chat or text messaging can be a way to stay connected between sessions or use brief coaching and reminders. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into a busy life.