Jo Martin

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our
greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.” – Timothy J. Keller, Author

Philosophy and Therapeutic Approach

When tough times hit, reaching out for help can be incredibly difficult. It is easy to feel like the only one going through troubled times; that no one can relate. Pain can have an isolating effect, leaving us feeling alone, and even abandoned by everyone, including God. I understand, I can relate. That was me. You are not alone.

Maybe like you, I had a friend insist I reach out to a counselor. Done with putting on a brave face, smiling and fighting through my issues, I scheduled an appointment. It took a few sessions, but I could feel the iceberg of loneliness and hopelessness begin to melt away. My counselor helped me to realize my strengths, prayed for me, listened and created a safe space for me to explore my feelings without feeling judged. I was able to gain clarity and make decisions with more confidence and resolve. That experience propelled me into this field of counseling. It’s a way for me to pay it forward.

My desire is to help clients realize their strengths, confident that everything we need to navigate the challenges of this life is already built into our DNA by a loving God who desires to redeem and restore. Whether it’s a current struggle or experience or diving into past hurts, healing and powerful lessons can surface, and growth and change are possible. Counseling can be a powerful avenue. 

It is difficult to take that first step and reach out. It takes courage and strength to review the past, face the present, or engage the future. But you are worth it, and you are not alone. Through a warm, safe and trusting therapeutic relationship, we will unwrap your story–identify your strengths–and begin to lean into them as the ballast for the waters ahead, for whatever challenges have prompted you to reach out.

I believe in the power of the human spirit to persist and heal, learn from challenges, overcome, and engage or reengage in the goodness of this life. I also believe we are not called to do this life alone. Like the Triune God, we are meant to be in relationship with others and to engage in the reciprocity of those relationships. It is a privilege to walk alongside as clients engage in what can be powerfully life changing work.

What to Expect in Therapy

People seek counseling for all kinds of reasons, including grief or relief, direction or decision, healing and restoration, or perhaps just clarity. Your reason, whatever it may be, is the most important thing for us to focus on together. My goal will be to create a trusting and safe environment for exploring and journeying together, and helping you achieve your therapeutic goals. It might be through narrative, CBT, or another theoretical orientation. What’s most important is that it will be tailored to you specifically, to what helps you the most.

Personal Qualifications and Experience

My professional  experience ranges from vice president for a Fortune 1000 financial services company, to co-authoring a book on generation X, to university enrollment director, and my favorite roles as wife and mom. After decades of navigating the ups and downs of career and family, including three children and a marriage of over thirty years, I am completing my graduate work in counseling (what I’ve always wanted to do!), grounding my therapeutic work in a lifetime of life experience which I hope brings depth of empathy and understanding to my clients.

Personal Interests

I have a passion for mentoring and discipleship. For decades, I have mentored, walked alongside and counseled young adults (twenty-somethings), a passion ignited through research and co-authoring a book in the late 90’s on generation X. This is an incredibly influential time in a person’s life, rich with the potential to create a strong identity, solidify self-esteem, establish a career, and engage in meaningful relationships. It can also be a time fraught with issues, stress, and challenges.

Most of my free time is spent with my husband walking alongside our own children, young adults themselves, and spending time with college students in mentorship and discipleship..