Vanessa Martinez, RMHCI
Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern
Vanessa Martinez earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of North Florida. She is passionate about supporting children, adolescents, and families as they navigate emotional challenges, life transitions, and experiences such as anxiety, depression, and trauma.
Vanessa has specialized training and certification in Play Therapy, which is a central part of her clinical approach. Play therapy allows children to express thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a developmentally appropriate and natural way. Through play, creativity, and guided therapeutic activities, Vanessa helps children build emotional regulation skills, improve communication, process difficult experiences, and strengthen confidence.
Vanessa also incorporates Animal-Assisted Therapy, creating additional opportunities for connection, comfort, and engagement during the therapeutic process.
Her approach is warm, collaborative, and supportive, drawing from evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and person-centered therapy. Vanessa strives to create a welcoming and safe environment where clients of all ages feel heard, understood, and empowered.
Her goal is to help clients and families develop healthy coping strategies, strengthen relationships, and move toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Currently, Vanessa is seeing clients through telehealth and in-person in Jacksonville.