Dr. Nikki Martinez: Your Mental Heatlh Minute

Treating Individuals with Dignity and Kindness in Potential Romantic/Sexual Encounters When They Disclose Vulnerable Information to You

Topic: Treating Individuals with Dignity and Kindness in Potential Romantic/Sexual Encounters When They Disclose Vulnerable Information to You

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. You note that “How and When to Tell a potential romantic/sexual partner” is a semi-frequent topic that comes up in your work. Can you talk a little about that?
2. You noted that the percentage of people with some of the most common STDs, and WHICH STDs are currently the most prominent, might surprise listeners. Can you tell them what the current statistics are?
3. You discussed how far things have come in terms of access, privacy, and speed of results for individuals, while I know you are not promoting any services or brands, do you have any examples listeners could investigate?
4. You also note that while individuals must make decisions, they are comfortable with, they should make educated decisions, and that there are some sites, which we will include in the show notes, that you think do a nice job of explaining things in a way that the reader can understand and answer most questions they could think of. What are some of the ones that come to mind?
5. When it comes to this topic, what would you like listeners to walk away remembering?

---

Dr. Nicole Martinez received her master’s and her Doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship at Gateway Foundation in Lake Villa, Illinois. Before that, she attended the University of St. Francis where she completed a double major in Psychology and Therapeutic Recreation, with a specialization in the arts. Dr. Martinez has experience working with adolescents, children, and adults in individual, family, and group treatment.

Her therapeutic style can be described as integrative, assessing the needs and style that will best serve the individual client. She typically has a mix of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy and various holistic approaches, with an emphasis on CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Positive Psychology. She believes in exploring the connection between the body and the mind to treat all the individuals’ needs. She believes that an individual must explore many areas of their functioning to ensure optimum health physically and emotionally.

She stresses the essential belief that the therapist and client relationship is collaborative, and the two are partners who communicate from the first steps of designing the course and goals of treatment, as well as what the priorities will be. Dr. Martinez understands that it is just as important to identify any treatment styles, tools, techniques, or methods that did work, but what did not work as well, so that the two of you can work together charting a new path and avoiding precious time lost and frustration on that which has already been proven to be a poor fit.

Dr. Martinez also understands that each person is unique, there is no one size fits all, and that the needs of an individual may not only change from the initial inception of a treatment plan but from month to month or session to session, and that adapting and meeting the patient; where they are at; at any given moment is essential to both letting the patient knows they are being heard and attended to, as well as positive treatment outcomes.

Areas of expertise: medical and health psychology, trauma, trauma-focused CBT, PTSD, depression, anxiety, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, neurodivergent emerging considerations, LGBTQIA populations, bereavement, forensics, substance abuse, and misuse disorders, addictive issues and behaviors, couples work, MISA populations, co-occurring disorders, domestic violence issues, sex offenders, special needs populations, and chronic medical issues and rare diseases. Evaluation and assessment of the above-mentioned individuals, as well as review of previous assessments.

---

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Current Contributor: https://resilientstories.com

Article Archives:
EverydayPower: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez
Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez
Podbean: https://drnikkimartinez.podbean.com  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimaramartinez 

 

---

HSV 1: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/herpes-hsv1-and-hsv2/oral-herpes

HSV 2: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/herpes-hsv1-and-hsv2/genital-herpes

Healthline Comparison of Various at-home STI Testing Kits/Sites: https://www.healthline.com/health/std/everlywell-std-test#fa-qs

Everlywell: https://www.everlywell.com/products/?category=8

MyLabBox: www.mylabbox.com

STDCheck: STDCheck.com

LetsGetChecked: www.letsgetchecked.com

Common Symptoms and Timeframes of Symptom Presentation:    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases-stds/in-depth/std-symptoms/art-20047081

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm

Symptoms of Common STIs/STDs and Links to At-home Testing with Reviews: www.stdwatch.com/us/std-symptoms

It’s NOT the Medication, It’s the Motivation!

Dr. Nikki Martinez who has been working as an Independent Medical Expert to assist the courts, for the past decade and has also been an Adjunct professor for almost 14 years again joins eHealth Radio and the Psychology and Mental Health Channels continuing an ongoing series. Dr. Martinez engages in domestic and international consulting for various individuals, groups, and organizations, and offers individual and couples consulting via Tele-mental health services.

Topic: It’s NOT the Medication, It’s the Motivation!

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. As the topic of the show notes, there Is an important misunderstanding about the fact that pre-existing suicidal thoughts cause suicidal behavior in individuals, not mental health medications. Could you explain what that misunderstanding is?
2. You note that it is essential that a child has a thorough evaluation before starting an antidepressant by a trained professional. Who should conduct it, what should it entail, and why is it so important?
3. The FDA has put a “Black Box” warning on ALL antidepressants but has only approved 9 for children and youth, and you also have some research you would like to discuss that shows it is not these medications that cause suicidal thoughts.
4. You note that a major problem is that parents, guardians, and providers don’t always realize that a teen is suicidal, and so they blame the medication when no one is asking the questions and having the conversation.
5. Based on your experience, and reports from individuals you have worked with over the years, what conversations could providers and guardians be having with children and teens to help make sure these incidents are significantly reduced?

Dr. Nicole Martinez received her master’s and her Doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship at Gateway Foundation in Lake Villa, Illinois. Before that, she attended the University of St. Francis where she completed a double major in Psychology and Therapeutic Recreation, with a specialization in the arts. Dr. Martinez has experience working with adolescents, children, and adults in individual, family, and group treatment.

Her therapeutic style can be described as integrative, assessing the needs and style that will best serve the individual client. She typically has a mix of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy and various holistic approaches, with an emphasis on CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Positive Psychology. She believes in exploring the connection between the body and the mind to treat all the individuals’ needs. She believes that an individual must explore many areas of their functioning to ensure optimum health physically and emotionally.

She stresses the essential belief that the therapist and client relationship is collaborative, and the two are partners who communicate from the first steps of designing the course and goals of treatment, as well as what the priorities will be. Dr. Martinez understands that it is just as important to identify any treatment styles, tools, techniques, or methods that did work, but what did not work as well, so that the two of you can work together charting a new path and avoiding precious time lost and frustration on that which has already been proven to be a poor fit.

Dr. Martinez also understands that each person is unique, there is no one size fits all, and that the needs of an individual may not only change from the initial inception of a treatment plan but from month to month or session to session, and that adapting and meeting the patient; where they are at; at any given moment is essential to both letting the patient knows they are being heard and attended to, as well as positive treatment outcomes.

Areas of expertise: medical and health psychology, trauma, trauma-focused CBT, PTSD, depression, anxiety, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, neurodivergent emerging considerations, LGBTQIA populations, bereavement, forensics, substance abuse, and misuse disorders, addictive issues and behaviors, couples work, MISA populations, co-occurring disorders, domestic violence issues, sex offenders, special needs populations, and chronic medical issues and rare diseases. Evaluation and assessment of the above-mentioned individuals, as well as review of previous assessments.

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Current Contributor: https://resilientstories.com

Article Archives:
EverydayPower: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez
Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez
Podbean: https://drnikkimartinez.podbean.com  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimaramartinez 

 

Changing the Way We Think About Asking for Help. Breaking the Stigma, and Seeing it for the Show of Strength and Self-Care it Is.

Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. Your topic alludes to the fact that so many people struggle with asking others for help, what are some of the reasons that is so difficult for so many people?
2. You noted that an individual who REALLY struggles with this might have to ask themselves some tough questions and admit some things to themselves. What are some of those questions?
3. You also note that people should start to understand that asking others for help, and for what they need is a STRENGTH and that not doing so is “abandoning ourselves.” Could you explain what you mean by that?
4. What are the various tips you have for listeners, in terms of effectively asking for help?
5. What are some final thoughts you would like to leave listeners with about asking for Help?   

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Current Contributor: https://resilientstories.com

Article Archives:
EverydayPower: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez
Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez
Podbean: https://drnikkimartinez.podbean.com  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimaramartinez 

The beliefs, views, ideas, thoughts, and opinions expressed on any program are those of the persons appearing on the program and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the eHealth Radio Network.

Sources Cited: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/changepower/202306/how-to-ask-for-help-so-you-get-what-you-need  
Sources Cited: https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/changepower/202309/7-self-care-behaviors-that-most-people-neglect?amp  
Sources Cited: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somatic-experiencing-international 

Why Collaborative Divorce is a Route Worth Considering

Topic: Why Collaborative Divorce is a Route Worth Considering

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. To start things off, so listeners understand, what is “collaborative divorce?”
2. How is it almost immediately apparent that collaborative divorce lawyers are different, or have a different agenda than what someone might think of in a ‘traditional divorce scenario?”
3. Are there limits to the settings and ways in which a collaborative lawyer can work?
4. Why is the contract the couple signs when they enter the collaborative divorce process so important?
5. Finally, what do you think are the benefits of this process, and why it is a type of divorce process couples should consider?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

Making It Through Your First Holiday Season After a Divorce

Topic: Making It Through Your First Holiday Season After a Divorce

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. What is a good way to deal with family and friends before getting together, to make sure that the holidays go as smoothly as possible for you as members of a couple?
2. What are some of the additional issues people should consider when children are involved?
3. How can the family be pre-warned and how can they help support children during this first holiday?
4. Why are the holidays especially hard for those who have broken up and the families who are dealing with their new normal? 

5. If everyone does all these steps, can they expect everything to go smoothly?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

The Many Benefits of Making Peace with the End of a Relationship

Topic: The Many Benefits of Making Peace with the End of a Relationship

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. What are some of the areas of people’s lives that can be impacted when someone is struggling with the end of a long-term relationship?
2. What are some of the more serious consequences you have seen people suffer if they don’t realize that the way they are coping, or not coping has spiraled out of control?
3. You see this as an opportunity for growth, and something that can feel like a very positive period in the person’s life. Can you speak more about that?
4. If you have children, why is moving forward especially important?
5. What are some final takeaways you have for listeners on making peace with the end of a relationship?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

Reasons Adult Coloring Books Are Great for Your Mental, Emotional & Intellectual Health

Topic: Reasons Adult Coloring Books Are Great for Your Mental, Emotional, and Intellectual Health

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. Is it true that the practice of "prescribing" adult coloring stems all the way back to the late psychologist Carl Jung?
2. What types of emotional and mental health issues can Adult coloring books help with?
3. Coloring can obviously bring us back to a simpler time, but you also note that coloring has intellectual benefits as well. Could you say a little about that?
4. You noted that coloring utilizes ‘both’ sides of the brain, so not only as it applies to your field, but what other areas can this be used in for treatment?
5. Adult coloring books clearly help serve many purposes that are beneficial, what are some thoughts you would like to leave listeners with?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

Is Mind Reading Ruining Your Relationship?

Topic: Is Mind Reading Ruining Your Relationship?

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. What is "Mind Reading?"
2. You had some statistics from the American Psychological Association on divorce rates, and some common themes you see come up that you thought were useful to know.
3. What are some of the commonly named factors among couples who come to couples therapy, or ultimately end up divorcing?

4. Are couples often surprised to find out what the other ‘actually meant’ in a certain situation? 

5. Does being aware of these issues and “Mind Reading” guarantee that a couple will never disagree?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

The Psychology of Asking for Forgiveness and Forgiving

Topic: The Psychology of Asking for Forgiveness and Forgiving 

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. Let's start with what makes an apology meaningful. What makes the person giving one seem sincere?
2. Now what if a person is committing regrettable acts over and over again, and keeps asking for forgiveness? At what point does an apology become pointless?
3. So what about the person doing the forgiving? Is there a psychology behind forgiveness?
4. To put yet another spin on this subject, how does the public tend to feel about public apologies from investors, politicians, athletes, and celebrities?
5. Are there people who appear to be beyond saving, or beyond apologizing, and those who seem genuine? What is the difference?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez

Accepting the Limitations of Others and Learning to Accept Ourselves

Topic: Accepting the Limitations of Others and Learning to Accept Ourselves

Listen to the interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Dr. Nikki Martinez discuss the following:

1. You talk about the importance of individuals accepting the limitations of others when it comes to what they are capable of giving someone else in terms of ANY level of acceptance. Can you speak a little about that?
2. How can continuing to seek approval from someone who is not capable be harmful to an individual in the short and long term?
3. You note that an individual accepting that seeking the approval and various self-concept needs from another who is not capable can be healing and empowering. Can you expand on that?
4. What might it 'look like" for an individual to stop looking for acceptance in another, and start to accept themselves?
5. Are individuals likely to fall back into patterns of seeking approval from the original person vs themselves, and what should they do if they catch themselves doing this?

Website: https://www.drnikkimartinez.com

Resource: https://everydaypower.com/author/nmmartinez/

https://www.huffpost.com/author/nmmartinez1313-296

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-martinez