Valerie Martin, LCSW (she/her; Nashville, TN, USA)
Photo by Josh Bethea
What I Offer
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Tennessee, so I offer therapy for Tennessee residents in my Nashville office and remotely via phone or video conferencing, as well as life coaching for clients anywhere who are clinically appopriate for coaching. (Read our Coaching page for more on that.)
Who I Work With + My Approach
The majority of my work is individual therapy and coaching with adults struggling with trauma, eating disorders, relationship issues, depression, and anxiety. I also offer couples and sex therapy. I also see a lot of high-achieving folks who have achieved external "success," but need help reconnecting to a sense of self, and challenging perfectionism and self-criticism.
While I work with all folks in my practice at The Gaia Center, I absolutely love working with vegans facing any of the above challenges, as well as issues unique to veganism and animal activism.
A Taste of my Vegan Journey
For the first 30 years of my life, I juggled a combination of denial and avoidance when it came to animals— including numerous half-hearted attempts to stop eating them. In 2016, a fateful trip to the bookstore led me down the path of actually seeking out information about animal agriculture, and within a matter of days, I was fully vegan (well, you know, minus the whole perfection thing) and have never looked back. If you’re interested in hearing a 7-minute spoken word piece on my journey to veganism, you can find it here.
Rates & Insurance
$165/50-minute session (therapy or coaching)
Discounted packages available for coaching
Reduced-fee spots currently full
Out-of-network with all insurances for therapy (coaching not covered by insurance)
Clinical Background
Valerie Martin (LCSW, RYT) is the founder and clinical director of The Gaia Center for Embodied Healing in Nashville, Tennessee. She has hosted several podcasts including the current podcast Bodyful, teaches yoga with Sanctuary Yoga Studio, and facilitates workshops rooted in the Work That Reconnects. Valerie is currently a board member with the Nashville Psychotherapy Institute, and has been a featured speaker at a number of behavioral health conferences and guest on several podcasts focused on mental health. She received a BS in Communications and MSSW in Clinical Social Work, both from the University of Texas at Austin.
Contact
howdy@valeriekmartin.com
615.617.4947
“Val is an amazing combo of genuine, down to earth, and passionate. She puts a lot of herself into helping improve our world; not just for humans, but for animals as well. She’s basically the feminist Captain Planet we need today. Her teachings are practical, sustainable, and impactful - with a healthy dose of realness and wonder.”