I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Michigan with over 23 years of professional guidance and counseling experience. I have a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling earning credits from both Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University. I have a Bachelor's degree in Education from The University of Michigan, earning a Lifetime Teaching Certificate. I am a member of the Michigan Mental Health Counseling Association (MMHCA).
Much of my personal counseling work has focused on stress, anxiety, a spectrum of parenting issues, anger management, motivation, depression, self-esteem, personal and professional confidence, family conflicts, and family of origin insight. I also have experience working with trauma to include emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, domestic violence, grief and loss, and life changes.
I pull from a variety of modalities. I am educated in, and do my best to continue my personal education in the following:
Client Centered Therapy which aims to increase one's self-esteem and self-acceptance working to decrease those negative feelings that like to pull us down. Clients work towards unconditional positive thinking about themselves, and are the guides in their own therapeutic process.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on contrasting rational versus irrational thoughts and in so doing, challenge those obstacles one wishes to conquer. It helps to identify what it is that triggers a person's negative actions, and how to overcome those behaviors.
Solution Based Therapy is just that. It focuses on how to accomplish a set goal.
Behavior Activation Therapy (BAT) is a very specific type of therapy to combat depression. It focuses on action and the environment. The most common symptom of depression is lack of interest of doing things we used to enjoy. BAT focuses on returning to doing just those things.
Narrative Therapy focuses on your life story and how you view your past, present, and future. We try to discover what memories are bringing you down, and how to deal with those in a more positive manner - even if it is just acceptance.
I have some knowledge of DBT - Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, but am not certified. DBT tries to balance being in the middle - combining our cognition with our feelings to create the "wise mind".
I am a retired Michigan Public School's teacher (certified grades 7-12) and counselor (certified K-12), now working in the tele-health field with Better Help. Although I have spent the bulk of my guidance and counseling career working in middle schools, I still have much experience working with adults. Counselors are the liaison between students, parents, teachers, specialists, administration, probation officers, foster and adoptive care, community resources and much more.
What I am most pleased about in working with Better Help, is that I am able to concentrate on treating individual clients without administrative duties pulling me away from helping people one on one.
I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. I realize that mental health care isn't always looked upon as importantly as physical health care is, so I applaud you for being willing to take the first step in this journey for yourself. To protect our physical selves, we need to nurture, build, and strengthen our emotional selves as well! I will tailor our dialogue and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. I will listen to you without interruption, try to calm your fears, speak to you with respect, and offer the help that you are ready to accept. I want our sessions to be honorable, safe, and helpful. I welcome the chance to work with you!
I also lead 6 group sessions: Anxiety Reduction Tactics; Depression and BAT; Feeling Angry or Frustrated At times in Parenthood; Religious Confusion and Relation to Stress, Sadness, or Loss; Communication and Boundaries; and Genealogy: Family Relationships and Emotional Connections.
Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Self esteem, Compassion fatigue, Blended family issues, Caregiver issues and stress, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Communication problems, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Forgiveness, Mood disorders, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Social anxiety and phobia
Clinical approaches: Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
MI LPC 6401006290
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Frances Martinez-Stafford. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Frances has helped me get through a lot of my issues. I was in a dark place and I was able to start coming out of it by talking to her.
Written on Dec 01, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 11 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, and coping with life changes
I love Frances. She gets me and has helped me deal with many issues. I highly recommend her! Thanks Frances!
Written on Jul 31, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, parenting issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Frances really provided support and helped me through a hard time in my life.
Written on Jul 19, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 7 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes
Frances listens and suggests other options & ways of thinking. She points out new conclusions & offers advice.
She is extremely prompt, caring & professional. I truly appreciate her supporting me & helping me work through some tough issues.
Written on May 09, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, sleeping disorders, coping with life changes, and adhd
She's amazing!!! I really appreciate her insight!
Written on May 08, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and family conflicts
Very friendly and attentive! She allows you to speak everything on your mind while asking you questions that bring your emotions to the forefront.
Written on Mar 02, 2023 after therapy with Frances for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, self esteem, and coping with life changes