Welcome to M3!  My name is Krista Martin and I am a Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Bachelor’s of Arts from East Texas Baptist University, and a Postgraduate Veterinary Social Work Certificate from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.  While I’ve had a broad range of experience, I currently specialize in stress, anxiety, trauma, and self-worth.  I am a Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist and work with a special emphasis on the human-animal bond.  I currently hold the following licenses:

• South Carolina: Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (8938)

• North Carolina: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (C014694)

• Colorado: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (CSW.09929326)

• Florida: Telehealth Licensed Clinical Social Worker (TPSW3506)

M3 Counseling LLC is located at 905 East Washington Street in Greenville, SC. Therapy is offered in person at our Greenville office as well as online throughout North and South Carolina, Florida and Colorado. 

Animal Assisted Therapy

Animal Assisted Therapy is a specific therapy approach that may be utilized.  Animal Assisted Therapy, when appropriate, is used in conjunction with other therapy methods.  

Risks & Benefits

Therapy is a professional relationship between people that works in part because of clearly defined rights and responsibilities held by each person. As a client, you have certain rights and responsibilities that are important for you to understand. There are also legal limitations to those rights that you should be aware of. 

Therapy has both benefits and risks. Risks may include experiencing uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness and helplessness, because the process of psychotherapy often requires discussing the unpleasant aspects of your life.  Therapy often leads to a significant reduction in feelings of distress, increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, greater personal awareness and insight, increased skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems.  There are no guarantees about what will happen.  Therapy requires a very active effort on your part. In order to be most successful, you will have to work on things we discuss outside of sessions.

The initial sessions will involve a comprehensive evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work might include. At that point, we will discuss your treatment goals and create an initial treatment plan. You should evaluate this information and make your own assessment about whether you feel comfortable working with me. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If you wish, I am happy to provide referrals to other therapists in the area.

Records & Confidentiality

I am required to keep appropriate records of the services that I provide. Your records are maintained in a secure location. I keep brief records noting that you were here, your reasons for seeking therapy, the goals and progress we set for treatment, your diagnosis, topics we discussed, and your billing records. Except in unusual circumstances that involve danger to yourself, you have the right to a copy of your file. Because these are professional records, they may be misinterpreted and/or upsetting to untrained readers.  For this reason, I recommend that you initially review them with me or have them forwarded to another mental health professional to discuss the contents. Records are required to be kept for a period of time determined by state and federal regulations. A Professional Will governs how those records will be retained in the event of an unexpected closure.

As a rule, I will disclose no information about you, or the fact that you are my client, without your written consent. My formal Health Record describes the services provided to you and contains the dates of our sessions, your diagnosis, functional status, symptoms, prognosis and progress, and any psychological testing reports. Health care providers are legally allowed to use or disclose records or information for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes. 

Limits of Confidentiality: Possible Uses and Disclosures of Mental Health Records without Consent or Authorization

There are some important exceptions to this rule of confidentiality – some exceptions created voluntarily by my own choice and some required by law.  I may use or disclose records or other information about you without your consent or authorization in the following circumstances:

• Emergency: If you are involved in in a life-threatening emergency and I cannot ask your permission, I will share information if I believe you would have wanted me to do so or if I believe it will be helpful to you.

• Child Abuse Reporting: If I have reason to suspect that a child is abused or neglected, I am required by law to report the matter immediately to the Department of Social Services (or equivalent as applicable on a state by state basis).

• Adult Abuse Reporting: If I have reason to suspect that an elderly or incapacitated adult is abused, neglected or exploited, I am required by law to immediately make a report and provide relevant information to the Department of Social Services (or equivalent as applicable on a state by state basis).

• Health Oversight: State law may require that licensed social workers report misconduct by a health care provider of their own profession. By policy, I also reserve the right to report misconduct by health care providers of other professions. Licensing Boards have the power, when necessary, to subpoena relevant records in investigating a complaint of provider incompetence or misconduct.

• Court Proceedings: If you are involved in a court preceding and a request is made for information about your diagnosis and treatment and the records thereof, such information is privileged under state law, and I will not release information unless you provide written authorization or a judge issues a court order.

• Serious Threat to Health or Safety: I may use or share information if needed to prevent a serious/imminent threat to your or another person’s health or safety. I will share only to persons able to lessen/prevent the threat and limited to information necessary to lessen or prevent the threat. I may use/share information with a public or private entity authorized to assist in disaster emergency relief efforts.

• By Law: I will share your information  when otherwise required by Law.

Relationships

If you do not already know me in another capacity, such as in private or professional life, I will not create a relationship outside of therapy if possible. For example, if you see me in a public place, I will not recognize you, and will treat you no differently than any other anonymous member of the public. My is policy is to avoid compromising clients’ confidentiality and privacy. If you decide to openly recognize me outside of the office, I will view it as your agreement to take the risk that such communication may compromise your confidentiality and privacy, and will honor your desire to be recognized outside of the office.  Please do not bring up personal, confidential, or therapeutic topics outside of therapy.

If you do already know me in another capacity, the initiation of therapy creates a dual (or multiple) relationship. Therapy never involves sexual intimacy or any other dual relationship that impairs my objectivity, clinical judgment, or that can be exploitative in nature.  Sexual intimacy between a social worker and a client is prohibited. Some clients have chosen me as their social worker because they knew me professionally before they entered therapy and/or are personally aware of my professional work and achievements. If appropriate, I will discuss with you the existing complexities, potential benefits and difficulties that may be involved in dual or multiple relationships, which can enhance trust and therapeutic effectiveness but can also detract from it, and often it is impossible to know which ahead of time. 

Please share with me if the dual or multiple relationship becomes uncomfortable for you in any way. I will always listen carefully and respond to your feedback. You may also request that I refer you to another therapist and are free to end therapy at any time.

Fragrance Free

M3 Counseling is a fragrance free office. M3 Counseling recognizes the hazards caused by exposure to scented products and cleaning chemicals and we have a policy to provide a fragrance free environment for all. Please arrive fragrance free with the knowledge that bringing fragrances into the office may result in immediate termination of in person services. While we recognize this may not be a concern for all, it is a significant concern for this clinician who is severely allergic to several chemicals. A service dog may be utilized to check for fragrances.

The practice of licensed or registered persons in the field of psychotherapy is regulated by the Mental Health Licensing Section of the Division of Registrations. The Board of Social Work Examiners can be reached at 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350, Denver, Colorado 80202, (303) 894-7800.

As to the regulatory requirements applicable to mental health professionals:

• A Registered Psychotherapist is a psychotherapist listed in the State’s database and is authorized by law to practice psychotherapy in Colorado, but is not licensed by the state and is not required to satisfy any standardized educational or testing requirements to obtain a registration from the state.

• A Certified Addiction Counselor I (CAC I) must be a high school graduate or equivalent, complete required training hours and 1,000 hours of supervised experience.

• A Certified Addiction Counselor II (CAC II) must be a high school graduate or equivalent, complete the CAC I requirements, and obtain additional required training hours, 2,000 additional hours of supervised experience, and pass a national exam.

• A Certified Addiction Counselor III (CAC III) must have a bachelor’s degree in behavioral health, complete CAC II requirements, and complete additional required training hours, 2,000 additional hours of supervised experience, and pass a national exam.

• A Licensed Addiction Counselor must have a clinical master’s degree, meet the CAC III requirements, and pass a national exam.

• A Licensed Social Worker must hold a master’s degree from a graduate school of social work and pass an examination in social work.

• A Licensed Clinical Social Worker must hold a master’s or doctorate degree from a graduate school of social work, practiced as a social worker for at least two years, and pass an examination in social work.

• A Psychologist Candidate, a Marriage and Family Therapist Candidate, and a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate must hold the necessary licensing degree and be in the process of completing the required supervision for licensure.

• A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist must hold a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family counseling, have at least two years post-master’s or one year post-doctoral practice, and pass an exam in marriage and family therapy.- A Licensed Professional Counselor must hold a master’s or doctoral degree in professional counseling, have at least two years post-master’s or one year postdoctoral practice, and pass an exam in in professional counseling.

• A Licensed Psychologist must hold a doctorate degree in psychology, have one year of post- doctoral supervision, and pass an examination in psychology.

Generally speaking, the information provided by the client during therapy sessions is legally confidential in the case of licensed marriage and family therapists, social workers, professional counselors, and psychologists; licensed or certified addiction counselors; and registered psychotherapists, except as provided in § 12- 245-220 and except for certain legal exceptions that will be identified by the licensee, registrant, or certificate holder should any such situation arise during therapy.

The practice of licensed or registered persons in the field of social work is regulated by the Board of Social Work Examiners administered by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The Board of Social Work Examiners can be reached at 110 Centerview Dr, Columbia SC 29210 and via phone at (803) 896-4664.

The practice of licensed or registered persons in the field of social work is regulated by the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board. The North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board can be reached at 1207 S. Cox Street, Suite F, Asheboro, NC 27203 and via phone at (336) 625-1679.

The practice of licensed or registered persons in the field of social work is regulated by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage &Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling can be reached at 4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-08, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3258 and via phone at (850) 245-4292.