About Amanda Martinez
What’s the first session like with me?
Hello and welcome. Let me introduce myself – my name is Amanda Martinez. I am a first-generation Salvadoran immigrant, born in El Salvador and raised in Los Angeles.
My pronouns are she/her. I have been a therapist for five years and have acquired several skills working in community mental health. During our first session, the goal is for you to feel safe, comfortable, and invite to share your reasons for seeking therapy.
Some view therapy as “Scary.” If I had a dollar for every time someone said, “I am not crazy,” while in therapy, I would be a very wealthy therapist.
I am here to say that you are not crazy. During the first session, my office or video screen offers a safe space to discuss any concerns, questions, or fears you may have about beginning your therapeutic journey.
My goal is always to provide culturally competent, therapeutic services and learn from my clients.
How does therapy work?
Every therapist has a different style based on our training and life experiences, both professional and personal.
Therapy with me will usually begin with intake questions like – “Tell me about yourself?” “Tell me more about your family?” “Tell me what a typical day looks like for you?” These are only some of the details I like to learn in the beginning.
As therapy progresses and we become more comfortable with one another, you might share more about the details that led you to seek therapy. Sharing your deepest concerns is sometimes the “scary” part of the therapeutic journey because fear of judgment is genuine. But please know that I am not here to judge.
I am here to support, guide, and help you find the best solutions for yourself. Once we maneuver through this part of therapy, you will start to feel better, your mood may change, and you may even ask if you still need therapy.
I will offer guidance through those questions, and you are always the one driving the therapy sessions. Therapy may last a couple of weeks or months, and I want to acknowledge that everyone’s therapeutic journey is different.
About Me
My journey began in El Salvador.
I mentioned earlier that I am a first-generation Salvadoran immigrant, born in El Salvador and raised in Los Angeles. As a child, I did not envision being a therapist.
Therapy is not a word often used in first-generation immigrant households because there is a huge stigma about mental health, and many people often say “No estoy loca/o” or “I am not crazy.”
We migrated when I was very young, so I don’t remember my time in El Salvador. I arrived on my mother’s hip as she carried me and held my older sister’s hand through several borders.
I know our journey to the US took months, but I do not have any conscious memories about any of this. However, I am sure, like most life-changing experiences, the journey lives in my memories and my body.
Being an immigrant was not easy.
Throughout my life, I grew up believing that many of my quirks were part of my personality. As I grew older and learned more about mental health, I came to realize that my quirks were signs of anxiety.
If you are from a first-generation immigrant household, you will understand that our parents/caregivers often live with untreated anxiety due to trauma.
All people have had experiences in their lives that have helped shape them. As a therapist now, I know my anxiety helped me survive, but it did not help me thrive for a long time.
Throughout your therapeutic journey, be it anxiety, depression, or dealing with intergenerational/complex trauma, I will support you in your journey to not only survive but thrive.
Education and Training
I graduated from UCLA in 2012 with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Chicano Studies. After graduation, I decided to take a year off and worked as a tutor/vocational counselor for youth on probation.
This work made me realize that I needed to continue my education to increase my knowledge and better understand how trauma was impacting my students.
In 2015, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the USC School of Social Work. Since graduating, I have been working in community mental health in the greater Los Angeles area.
In my role as a community health provider, I help children and families experiencing intergenerational and complex trauma. This type of trauma was either inflicted by the family, community, or the complex systems that they must navigate (e.g., police, Department of Children and Family Services, immigration, school systems, and probation).
I have training in CBT, TFCBT (Trauma-focused therapy), and Seeking Safety. I also have extensive knowledge and training on trauma therapy, especially trauma from sexual abuse/assault. I have experience working with both children (ages 0-17) and adults.
And most importantly, I am a fluent Spanish and a Spanglish speaker. Hablo español y puedo dar servicios de terapia en español.
In My Personal Life
You can find me playing with my kids (they love to wrestle and often win) and spending time with my partner and extended family.
I am an avid fan of fantasy novels (if you are a Harry Potter fan, our sessions may consist of playing Harry Potter Uno) and enjoy watching movies with strong female leads.
I enjoy exercise to support my mental health and love to hike when I can.
818.945.9075
Email Me
10315 Woodley Ave.