Martinie Franks, LCSW

Martinie Franks is a licensed clinical social worker with 15 years of experience supporting people through anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, relationship strain, and depression. She works with clients who are coping with life changes and with related concerns like communication problems, control issues, guilt and shame, and loneliness. She practices from Missouri and offers therapy in English.

She approaches work believing each person knows their own story and strengths. Sessions focus on practical steps, clearer thinking, and building skills that help in day-to-day life. Martinie listens closely and helps people name what matters most to them before planning next steps.

Her style blends cognitive behavioral work with client-centered listening and mindfulness tools. That means she helps people notice unhelpful thoughts, try different behaviors, and practice simple ways to calm the mind. Dialectical behavior ideas and motivational interviewing shape how she supports motivation and emotion regulation when needed.

Over 15 years she has helped people regain confidence and find ways to manage stress and social anxiety. Work often includes role-play for communication, breaking big problems into smaller steps, and setting doable goals. She encourages forgiveness and exploration of life purpose as part of healing.

Sessions use flexible formats like video calls, phone conversations, live chat, or text-based messaging. The approach is collaborative - clients set the pace and focus while she offers tools and steady support.

How cognitive and mindfulness approaches translate to online care

Martinie uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help people identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviors. CBT focuses on practical exercises and homework that translate well to video or text, such as thought records and behavioral experiments.

She also uses client-centered therapy to create a listening, nonjudgmental space where clients set the agenda and feel heard. Mindfulness-based techniques are offered as short practices for managing stress and grounding attention during busy days. These approaches are useful for anxiety, mood concerns, relationship stress, and coping with life transitions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Martinie collaborates with each person to choose methods that match goals and preferences. She encourages trying different techniques and checking in about what helps, so the plan can be adjusted together.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face interaction and skill practice. Phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and messaging allow brief, ongoing contact and support between sessions. These options make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into daily life.