chris martinez
lcsw | Therapist
Pronouns: he/him
Individual Therapy: $155/60-minute billable counseling session (53+ minutes of service)
Couples & Family Therapy: $170/60-minute billable counseling session (53+ minutes of service)
Accepts Insurance
Specialty Populations: Adults | Teens 14+ | Couples | Partners | Families
Specialty Issues: Anxiety | Depression | Trauma | Parent/Child Relationship | Childhood to Adulthood Transition | Family Dysfunction | Personal growth | Relationships | Men & Masculinity
LCSW License No. 108850
Chris is particularly well-suited to support:
Individuals wanting to discover purpose, meaning, and happiness
Parents wanting to understand and connect with their children
Couples/Partners navigating changes and challenges in their relationship
Individuals/Couples/Families looking to challenge unwanted patterns
Older teens/young adults preparing for life transitions
Men/Fathers seeking a new understanding of masculinity
Why I Do This Work
The most simple answer I can offer is: this is the only work that has ever made me feel fulfilled and proud. I had a long, winding road of jobs and attempts at college after high school, mostly resulting in failures. But, as practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu say, “you either win, or you learn.” I learned a lot!
The turning point was my decision to volunteer for a victim services team (how I came to that decision is a story too long for this bio, but you can ask me!). It was my first exposure to social work and I fell in love. I spent time with people during some of the hardest moments of their lives, and it taught me what really matters to people, and that authentic human connection is one of the most powerful forces on this planet. The work was incredibly challenging for me, but equally rewarding. More importantly, it was the first time I had ever felt good about what I was doing. I had full certainty that this career was the right path for me.
Fast forward about seven years - all of those experiences led me here to Colors of Austin, where I am so proud to continue helping others find their paths and their happiness in life! I learned firsthand that it is never too late to discover your passion, and I cannot wait to help you do the same.
Approach to Therapy
If I had to put one word to describe my approach, it would be “adaptable.” I have an educational background with a few modalities (motivational interviewing, family systems, CBT) but my main training and practice stems from Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). In short, I put the therapeutic relationship first. Connection before intervention.
I connect by adapting to however my clients feel most comfortable. Do you like sitting and talking for an hour? Do you like to move around, maybe stretch or go out for a walk? Do you like to play basketball or soccer? Do you want to bring something to session, maybe your favorite blanket or a guitar? Do you want to talk about the past, the present, or the future? Do you want to dive straight into your greatest fears, or something that made you proud this week, or even something external to you? Whatever makes my clients feel welcome, I will meet them there.
Keep in mind that the purpose of therapy is to create some sort of change in a person’s life, so there will be times when I challenge my clients. I feel, considering all my experience, that I have a good sense of when/how much to challenge my clients. When it comes to challenging, like being adaptable, I also get creative. The therapy office is a wonderful place, but it is not always the most effective place to do “the work” and find solutions.
Throughout this process, my goal is to make sure my clients feel supported. In mental health, therapists often refer to ourselves as “passengers” alongside our clients, which fits very well with how I view my role in my clients’ lives. I will be a supporter, a guide, a listening ear, essentially the person who lifts up my clients so that they can confidently walk their own path.
Education
I have a BA in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Social Work, both from the University of Texas at Austin. Just to illustrate how strange my post-high school path was, I also have an Associate’s Degree in Video Game Programming and a (now-expired) Texas Peace Officer certification, both from Austin Community College.
Personal
To make it easy on everyone, I usually say I was born and raised in Houston, TX, but there is a little more nuance. For those of you who are not familiar with Houston, there is “Houston” and the “Greater Houston Area”, which is a humongous and sprawling series of little cities and random space. I grew up in a random space, where I lived outside of Houston city limits but still had a Houston address. I came to Austin in 2006 and have happily lived here ever since!
I enjoy doing lots of different things outside of work - running, swimming in natural water, exploring all the delicious food in Austin, tennis, jiu-jitsu, spending time with friends, playing board games and video games, watching tv/films, doing the NYT crossword everyday, reading when I can, and always finding new things to learn!
Favorite place in Austin: The supporters section during Austin FC games!
Favorite Saturday afternoon activity: Going for a walk with my family and any friends that join
Favorite animal: Monkeys, especially the ones that steal things from people, they’re so funny
Favorite holiday: Christmas, specifically because I love the focus on expressing love and gratitude for people around you
I feel happiest when: I feel challenged and I learn how to face that challenge
If I had a superpower it would be: Ice powers, like Iceman from the X-Men. I feel like it’s a perfect mix of something artistic and creative with something very useful and powerful
Place I feel most safe/calm/comfortable: At home on my couch in front of my TV