Dena Martinez

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

I am an aspiring addiction counselor deeply committed to helping individuals, especially women and families of color, break free from generational cycles of trauma, addiction, and marginalization. My personal journey as a survivor of domestic violence and as the daughter of parents with substance use disorders fuels my empathy and purpose. Through my education at Indiana Wesleyan University, I have developed skills in motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, group facilitation, and spiritual integration. I believe in client autonomy, cultural humility, and the power of restoration.

As a culturally aware and spiritually grounded future addiction counselor, I am driven by lived experiences and a calling to serve others. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Addictions Counseling and have completed over 11 core courses including Addictions Theory, Group Counseling, and Psychopharmacology. I seek to empower underserved populations by offering compassion, structure, and advocacy. My focus is on building trust, facilitating healing, and supporting identity restoration in every client I encounter.

I bring a holistic understanding of addiction recovery grounded in personal transformation, academic excellence, and real-world insight. With strong communication and motivational skills, I aim to support clients through recovery using practical tools such as CBT principles, ethical documentation, and individualized care. My commitment is to help single mothers and young families discover strength, purpose, and dignity. I am multilingual in English and Spanish and view every client as capable of healing.

Guided by Christian values and real-life experience, I am passionate about creating space for healing in communities too often overlooked. My background includes growing up in shelters, surviving violence, and witnessing substance abuse firsthand. I use that knowledge to connect authentically with clients and build bridges toward change. As I begin my practicum, I am eager to apply my coursework in group dynamics, case management, and abnormal psychology to meet people where they are with grace, structure, and hope.

I am not entering this field by accident. I am walking in my purpose. My academic and personal life reflect a unified mission to be a voice for the voiceless and a guide for the brokenhearted. Through training in the 12 core functions of counseling and with fluency in Spanish and English, I am equipped to support diverse clients through practical, ethical, and emotionally safe care. My professional journey is about more than a job. It is a calling to restore what has been lost and to witness people thrive.