Playful Therapy Connections | Virtual & In-Person Therapy for Children, Teens & Adults | Individual & Groups
Celebrating Neurodiversity, Building Connections & Affirming Identities

Meet Gabby

Gabby Rios-Martinez, LCPC

 
 

Gabby Rios-Martinez, LCPC

 
 

she/they

CLINICAL counselor, level 3

Serving Maryland Clients

I am a licensed clinical professional counselor serving clients virtually in Maryland.

As an ADHD’r myself, I am passionate about working with neurodivergent teens and adults who are facing challenges related to ADHD and Autism. I also have a special interest and an expanded knowledge in the LGBTQ+ community.

Prior to pursuing my master’s, I was a mental health worker supporting adolescents experiencing psychiatric crises and a rehabilitation counselor at a day program for adults with developmental disabilities. This journey helped me discover my true passion for working with neurodivergent individuals and the LGBTQ+ community!

What does my experience mean for you as my client?

My experience means that I understand affirming identities promotes the well-being of others by validating their lived experiences, boosting their overall self-esteem, and empowering individuals to embrace their unique qualities and express themselves authentically.

I also understand that affirming identities is part of the work of promoting social justice and engaging in things like anti-racism, anti-ableism, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia, etc.

I'm able to recognize the diverse needs and circumstances that my clients might encounter and I can tailor my approach to best support those needs.

As a queer, Latinx therapist, I am deeply committed to working from a social justice-informed perspective. I focus on addressing discrimination, systemic inequalities, and injustices that clients may be facing based on different aspects of their identity. (such as their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, socioeconomic status, age, and body size).

 
Drawn portrait of smiling nonbinary Latina with short wavy brown hair, glasses and septum piercing, wearing a multicolored sweater.

Portrait by Nathan McConnell

When I’m not in the therapy room, you can find me playing video games, tabletop role play games and board games as well as watching movies and crafting.

I also really enjoy collecting toys and weird trinkets! I have a relatively large Furby collection and I keep them all in a china cabinet in my living room.

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions…

 

  • What is your favorite color?

    • Green!

  • What’s your favorite book?

    • I don't read as much as I would like to, but Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg really changed my life when I read it in college.

  • What are your top 5 favorite video games?

    • Kingdom Hearts 2, Fallout New Vegas, Undertale, Stardew Valley and Psychonauts.

  • What are your top 5 favorite movies?

    • This is such a difficult question for me because it changes all the time but my right now: Spirited Away, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Pan's Labyrinth, The Florida Project and Encanto.

  • Why did you decide to be a therapist?

    • I really enjoy the unique connections that I make with my clients. I love listening to their stories and making a positive impact on their lives.

    • Most of all, I find that I learn so much from clients when hearing about their specific experiences and insights.

 

The Nitty-Gritty Details

 

Education

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, MD
M.S., Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2020)

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD
B.A., Psychology (2016)

Credentials

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Maryland, LC13043 (2022)

Clinical Approaches

  • Person-Centered Therapy

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  • CBT & DBT Techniques