Q and A With Dr. Martha Womack
To continue with our “Meet the Team Series,” we sat down with Dr. Martha Womack! Dr. Womack is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substances, trauma, medical concerns, and relationship difficulties.
What is your role at Best Within You Therapy & Wellness?
I am Clinical Psychologist at Best Within You with over 30 years of experience. I provide individual therapy, couples therapy, bariatric assessments and am certified in EMDR.
What are your specialities/areas of experience?
At this point in my career, I consider myself a “generalist” as a psychologist. I work with a broad base of clients including adults experiencing depression, anxiety, eating disorders, women’s issues and trauma. In many ways my “niche” is very broad as I work with a variety of clients.
Can you explain your undergraduate experience? Graduate Experience? Clinical Experience?
I completed my undergraduate degree in sociology at Eckerd College. After my undergraduate experience, I began working with children with developmental delays and behavioral and emotional disorders in private settings, public schools, and private psychiatric hospitals. These experiences led me to pursue my Masters in Special Education. During my time spent in Special Education, I learned that to address educational needs, the psychological needs of individuals also needed to be addressed. With the help of my mentor who was a Clinical Psychologist, my interests in Clinical Psychology grew and I obtained my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Georgia State University. My training focused on the importance of the development of becoming an effective psychotherapist by looking inward at myself as well as by joining the client in each therapeutic relationship.
I completed my Postdoctoral experience at Georgia State University in the Psychotherapy and Behavior Therapy Clinic, serving as the Clinical Coordinator. I then taught at Georgia Southern University in the Clinical Psychology Masters program. My next experience was working in Private Practice providing psychotherapy which I did for many years. I had an interest in providing services to female veterans, so I worked as the Clinical Psychologist in connection with a women’s primary clinic with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I also helped develop and work with a behavioral health program within a large Jacksonville hospital system. After returning to Georgia, I have joined Best Within You to continue providing therapy.
What are the benefits of Virtual and In-Person therapy?
When the therapeutic relationship occurs, it does not matter if the therapist and client are in the same room. Although we now have more experience connecting with others in the virtual format, it is certainly not the norm and is different. I have experienced that when the therapeutic connection exists, it exists no matter the location. The format of virtual or in-person therapy is not the issue for a lack of connection.
One benefit of virtual therapy is the amount of saved time. PsyPact allows the door to be open between clients and therapists in over 35 states. Although it is difficult for me to see a client’s full body language during virtual therapy, it allows me to ask the client what they are doing and feeling physically which limits assumptions and increases insight.
What are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about helping others help, learn, and accept themselves. I am passionate about psychotherapy and exploring what makes us tick.
What do you like to do outside of the workplace?
I find cooking very meditative and fun! I enjoy connecting with friends and family, spending time with my dogs, being outdoors in nature, and gardening.
What would you say to an individual that is considering therapy?
I would say do not believe everything you think. It is important to be interested and curious about your own decisions, world perspectives and relationships that influence you. Recognize that our physical, emotional, and intellectual selves all play a part in how we think and feel.
Therapy with Dr. Womack
Thank You to Dr. Womack for this Q&A. If you are looking for therapy and think you may benefit from Dr. Womack’s services at Best Within You, you can schedule a free consultation!
This blog post was written by Best Within You Therapy & Wellness intern Maura Johnson.