Graciela Martinez-Vela

Graciela Martinez-Vela is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas with 14 years of clinical experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression, and she speaks both English and Spanish.

She uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based, collaborative approach. Graciela starts care with a biopsychosocial assessment to get a clear picture of what is happening and what matters most to the person. That assessment guides practical treatment plans that prioritize real-life functioning as well as symptom relief.

Her work draws on evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, combined with psychoeducation. Sessions include straightforward skill teaching, behavior change strategies, and conversations about difficult memories or reactions. She also helps coordinate care with community resources when that will help a person meet goals.

Graciela pays attention to cultural background and life experience when she talks with people. She uses what she has learned in her own life to connect in ways that are clinically appropriate. Communication is direct and focused on concrete steps to reduce distress and increase clarity about next choices.

People often come to her feeling stuck after a change, unsure about life purpose, or overwhelmed by symptoms tied to trauma or addiction. Graciela helps them clarify what needs attention, develop coping skills, and set manageable goals for moving forward.

Evidence-based approaches and online care

Graciela integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing in her clinical work. CBT involves identifying unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and practicing new skills to change reactions and reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression. Motivational Interviewing focuses on exploring a person's ambivalence about change and strengthening their own reasons for taking steps forward.

She also uses psychoeducational interventions to explain how symptoms develop and what practical strategies can help. Together these approaches support work on trauma responses, substance use concerns, panic, and questions about life purpose. Deciding which methods to use is a collaborative process; she evaluates needs and preferences during assessment and adjusts the approach as goals evolve.

If you are considering online sessions, confirm the current session options before booking. The therapist will help find ways to fit sessions into everyday life, such as arranging shorter check-ins or scheduling around work breaks. Online work can make it easier to maintain consistency, translate skill practice into daily routines, and coordinate care with other providers when needed.