Welcome !
Hypatia Martinez Counseling and Wellness was created from a deep respect for the inner worlds people carry and the unseen labor of surviving.
Many people seek therapy not because something is “wrong” with them, but because something has been carried alone for too long.
I founded my practice on the belief that healing does not come from minimizing pain or pathologizing identity, but from being witnessed in a space that is emotionally safe, culturally aware, and grounded in compassion.
I serve individuals who are thoughtful, capable, and often deeply caring—and who may also feel anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, burned out, or tired of holding everything together.
Who I Serve
I offer therapy that honors the full context of a person’s life—emotional, cultural, relational, and historical.
I support individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, identity exploration, relationship wounds, burnout, and life transitions.
I work with adults — especially people of color, artists, and young adults — who:
• Grew up fast and learned to hold a lot
• Are capable, responsible, and emotionally tired
• Function well on the outside but feel overwhelmed, numb, or disconnected inside
• Carry anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, or identity questions
• Feel deeply but don’t always have language for it
• Live in their heads and are trying to come back into their bodies
• Use creativity to survive, regulate, or make meaning
• Want therapy that feels human, grounded, and accessible
• Want to talk like a person, not a diagnosis
This is a space to set some of that weight down.
Therapeutic Approach
My therapy practice integrates:
• Trauma-informed care
• Relational and attachment-based therapy
• Culturally responsive practice
• Nervous-system and emotion-focused approaches
Sessions are collaborative, paced, and responsive. Therapy is shaped around the person, not a formula.
My practice provides a therapeutic space that is:
• Emotionally attuned
• Trauma-informed
• Culturally responsive
• Collaborative, not hierarchical
• Grounded in dignity, not judgment
My Story
I am a licensed clinical social worker and bring over fifteen years of experience across high-acuity clinical, crisis response, higher
education, and community-based mental health settings. I have worked extensively with individuals and families navigating trauma,
acute distress, suicidality, identity concerns, relational challenges, and major life transitions.
Currently, I serve as Coordinator of Mental Health Services at Suffolk County Community College, where I provides crisis
intervention, clinical assessment, short-term therapy, and referrals for students in distress. I work includes suicide risk assessment, rapid clinical decision-making, and the development and facilitation of
mental health programming and training for both students and public safety personnel. I also served eight years as Dean-appointed Chair of the Campus Diversity and Inclusion Committee, leading
initiatives focused on equity, cultural responsiveness, and institutional accountability.
Previously, I worked as a Crisis Response Counselor at New York University’s Counseling and Wellness Services, providing emergency response, on-call coverage, and urgent clinical intervention. My background also includes trauma treatment at the Treatment Center for Trauma & Abuse (WJCS), family-based intervention using Functional Family Therapy, and crisis counseling in reproductive health settings at Planned Parenthood of New York City.
I hold a Master of Social Work from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stony Brook University. I am licensed in New York State and has advanced training in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation), suicide prevention, threat assessment, motivational interviewing, crisis intervention, and culturally responsive practice.
In addition to clinical work, I am President of the Board of Directors for Teatro Experimental Yerbabruja, a BIPOC-led arts organization dedicated to social change. I leadership reflects a longstanding commitment to cultural work, community engagement, and advocacy.
My therapeutic approach integrates trauma-informed care, attachment-based and relational therapy, nervous-system awareness, and culturally grounded practice. I work with individuals who often carry significant emotional, relational, and cultural weight—people who may be outwardly capable and inwardly exhausted. I work centers emotional safety, collaboration, and depth, supporting clients in understanding patterns, processing experiences, strengthening regulation, and building more sustainable relationships with themselves and others.
My practice reflects my commitment to therapy that is clinically rigorous, culturally responsive, and deeply human.