Therapy Style
My therapy style is one of collaboration, respect, authenticity, care, and supportive challenge. I ultimately aim to help you to experience relief from distress, to identify and understand the source of your struggles, and to make informed decisions about what to do with this new awareness. As we are hard-wired to exist in relationships/groups, I pay close attention to the quality of your interpersonal relationships both historic and current and attend to how this plays out in the therapeutic relationship. I also pay particular attention to your strengths and supports and aim to help you use those assets to create and maintain a more satisfying life experience. I am skilled at tailoring my approach and techniques to best address your concerns, cultural background, comfort level, and personality. I will actively work to understand you as a whole person and support you through the process of greater understanding and change.
My Interest in Attachment
I first became interested in attachment theory while in graduate school. The research supporting this theory was robust and impressive and the concepts resonated with my beliefs regarding human development and psychopathology. In a nutshell, attachment theory proposes that people are inherently wired to be social creatures. Through our early and later experiences with important others, we ideally form conceptions of ourselves as generally "good" and worthy of comfort and care and conceptions of others as generally trustworthy and able to provide the care we sometimes seek. These conceptions of self and others drive many of our future interactions and pepper our point of view. They can influence our romantic relationships, friendships, family relationships, self-esteem, and all the behaviors and emotions associated with these important facets of life. Sometimes, it is helpful to explore the origins of our conceptions and, other times, it is helpful to work directly on learning to get our needs met. Throughout the years, I have been fortunate to have very talented and skilled supervisors with expertise in applying these concepts to therapeutic work. I continue to use this framework as a therapist and have found it very helpful in guiding the process of understanding and positive change.
My Interest in Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness is one way to learn how to respond to, as opposed to react to, the variety of emotions and thoughts we have at any given moment. There is a good deal of research which supports the conclusion that mindfulness can positively impact the functioning of those areas of the brain responsible for helping us to feel emotionally regulated. Through the practice of mindfulness, we can learn to feel a greater sense of control and ease with navigating our emotional landscape as it unfolds, moment-to-moment. I do not always encourage my clients to engage in the formal practice of mindfulness but I will take a mindful approach when addressing your concerns and help you to do the same.
Experience
I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of individuals in university settings, hospital settings, and a community clinic. I completed an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited internship at The Catholic University of America's Counseling Center and a postdoctoral fellowship and Public Health Apprenticeship at the Counseling Center at Loyola University of America.
I received my doctoral degree from The University of Maryland - College Park and I am currently a licensed psychologist in the District of Columbia. In addition to providing therapy and assessment, I have a good deal of experience with clinical supervision and enjoy the process of teaching and mentoring. I am a member of the American Academy of Psychotherapists and have completed the Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry and the Provision of Supervision Program also at the Washington School of Psychiatry.
How to Set-up a Free Phone Consultation
Please call 202-810-1518 or email [email protected] if you are interested in setting-up a free 15-20 minute phone consultation.
Helena (Mimi) Martin, Ph.D.
My therapy style is one of collaboration, respect, authenticity, care, and supportive challenge. I ultimately aim to help you to experience relief from distress, to identify and understand the source of your struggles, and to make informed decisions about what to do with this new awareness. As we are hard-wired to exist in relationships/groups, I pay close attention to the quality of your interpersonal relationships both historic and current and attend to how this plays out in the therapeutic relationship. I also pay particular attention to your strengths and supports and aim to help you use those assets to create and maintain a more satisfying life experience. I am skilled at tailoring my approach and techniques to best address your concerns, cultural background, comfort level, and personality. I will actively work to understand you as a whole person and support you through the process of greater understanding and change.
My Interest in Attachment
I first became interested in attachment theory while in graduate school. The research supporting this theory was robust and impressive and the concepts resonated with my beliefs regarding human development and psychopathology. In a nutshell, attachment theory proposes that people are inherently wired to be social creatures. Through our early and later experiences with important others, we ideally form conceptions of ourselves as generally "good" and worthy of comfort and care and conceptions of others as generally trustworthy and able to provide the care we sometimes seek. These conceptions of self and others drive many of our future interactions and pepper our point of view. They can influence our romantic relationships, friendships, family relationships, self-esteem, and all the behaviors and emotions associated with these important facets of life. Sometimes, it is helpful to explore the origins of our conceptions and, other times, it is helpful to work directly on learning to get our needs met. Throughout the years, I have been fortunate to have very talented and skilled supervisors with expertise in applying these concepts to therapeutic work. I continue to use this framework as a therapist and have found it very helpful in guiding the process of understanding and positive change.
My Interest in Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness is one way to learn how to respond to, as opposed to react to, the variety of emotions and thoughts we have at any given moment. There is a good deal of research which supports the conclusion that mindfulness can positively impact the functioning of those areas of the brain responsible for helping us to feel emotionally regulated. Through the practice of mindfulness, we can learn to feel a greater sense of control and ease with navigating our emotional landscape as it unfolds, moment-to-moment. I do not always encourage my clients to engage in the formal practice of mindfulness but I will take a mindful approach when addressing your concerns and help you to do the same.
Experience
I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of individuals in university settings, hospital settings, and a community clinic. I completed an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited internship at The Catholic University of America's Counseling Center and a postdoctoral fellowship and Public Health Apprenticeship at the Counseling Center at Loyola University of America.
I received my doctoral degree from The University of Maryland - College Park and I am currently a licensed psychologist in the District of Columbia. In addition to providing therapy and assessment, I have a good deal of experience with clinical supervision and enjoy the process of teaching and mentoring. I am a member of the American Academy of Psychotherapists and have completed the Group Psychotherapy Institute at the Washington School of Psychiatry and the Provision of Supervision Program also at the Washington School of Psychiatry.
How to Set-up a Free Phone Consultation
Please call 202-810-1518 or email [email protected] if you are interested in setting-up a free 15-20 minute phone consultation.
Helena (Mimi) Martin, Ph.D.
