Martia Hayes is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Psychotherapist with a Master’s degree in Community Agency Counseling from Hampton University, obtained in 2008. She has been practicing therapy for 18 years in various settings, including juvenile detention centers, local regional jails, the Department of Corrections, local community services boards, and private practice.
Her extensive experience includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for behavior management, substance abuse and sex offender group therapy, assessment and referral (ASAM), and individual psychotherapy for both children and adults. Martia specializes in treating generalized anxiety, depression, coping skills, peer relationships, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, stress, women’s issues, and substance use counseling. She has 17 years of experience in substance use counseling, 10 years in ASAM court evaluation, and 2 years in Christian counseling. Martia works with clients of all ages, from toddlers (starting as young as 4 years) to adults.
Martia employs a broad range of counseling methods tailored to meet her clients' needs. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to explore the relationship between emotions, behavior, and cognitions; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to increase psychological flexibility to align with values and goals; Christian Faith-Based Counseling to address struggles through spiritual principles and psychological techniques; Motivational Interviewing to help clients find their own motivation to change behaviors and resolve ambivalence; Person-Centered Therapy to create a safe and empowering environment for clients to explore life challenges without judgment; Positive Psychology to incorporate positive aspects and strengths to influence change; Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to find hope and solutions for the present; and Strength-Based Therapy to focus on clients' strengths rather than weaknesses.
Martia's passion for helping others through life's challenges stems from her own personal adversities. She believes that everyone needs support to navigate life's difficulties and that having someone to help us be vigilant and take actionable steps is crucial. Martia became a therapist to learn the tools and gain the knowledge necessary to help others uncover behaviors and perspectives for better insight into daily living.
In her free time, Martia enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, volunteering at her church, and gardening.
