
Karen Martinez, M.Ed., R.P. (Qualifying)
Thank you for taking time to visit my profile. I’m glad you’re here. I know that pursuing therapy may feel intimidating and overwhelming at first, and it may have taken deep reflection and courage to find yourself here. The truth is, even though we know how challenging it can be, it is usually the first step towards feeling better in your life, and I sincerely applaud you for it.
Maybe you already have a sense of what you’re looking for in a therapist, or maybe you’re still figuring it out. Wherever you’re at, I want to give you a sense of what it’s like to work with me, so you can decide on what truly fits your needs. My main goal is to create a space where you feel safe, heard, and accepted. A space where we can build a relationship based on mutual respect, empathy, and collaboration.
I offer services to adults from diverse cultural, spiritual, and identity backgrounds. My fields of practice include anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief and loss, relationship concerns, trauma (past or recent), low self-esteem, emotional regulation, and a desire for personal healing or growth. My approach is integrative and humanistic, drawing from several evidence-based therapies. They include Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), systemic and psychodynamic orientations, Gestalt, mindfulness, and polyvagal-informed techniques.
Throughout our first sessions, we will focus on building a trusting relationship, while exploring your personal history. We will also conduct an evidence-based assessment in order to understand more about the root causes of your current difficulties. Afterward, we will work on setting goals and creating a plan tailored to your needs. Together, we’ll support you in gaining insight, emotional relief, and moving toward your goals with more clarity and self-compassion.
I hold a B.Sc in Psychology and a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Counselling Psychology from the University of Ottawa. Currently, I’m practicing as a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), under the supervision of Dr. Karine Côté, C.Psych., at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I worked in youth mental health and community support environments. I also participated in university research, all of which helped me to understand my passion to listen and help others around me. They have also shaped my values of compassion, openness, and the importance of human connection. If you decide to share your story with me, it would truly be an honor to help you on your way to healing and self-discovery.
Treatments
- Acute/Single-Event Trauma
- Anger & Emotion Regulation
- Anxiety & Stress
- Career & Workplace
- Complex/Long-Term Trauma
- Depression, Mood & Grief
- Eating, Weight & Body Image
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Obsessive-Compulsive
- Personality
- Self-Growth & Self-Esteem
- Sex Therapy
Assessment
Therapies
- Attachment-Based/Mentalization Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Emotion(ally)-Focused Therapy (EFT, EFFT)
- Existential-Humanistic Therapy
- Integrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic/Analytic
- Relational Therapy