Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Martens.
Hi Michele, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story began with my own infertility journey. Over seven years, I underwent repeated treatments while navigating profound isolation, stigma, fear, and shame. The emotional toll was significant, and at times, it felt overwhelming. Infertility can be profoundly isolating, and during that period, there were few mental health professionals with specialized training in infertility counseling or reproductive trauma. After considerable searching, I was able to find meaningful support and learn coping strategies that helped me endure the process and regain a sense of stability. Those experiences were pivotal, not only in helping me survive that chapter of my life but in shaping how I understood the importance of specialized mental health care during reproductive challenges.
After becoming a mother and reaching a place of personal healing, I made a deliberate commitment to ensure that others would not have to navigate infertility without adequate emotional support. At the time, I was working full-time as a nursing educator while also practicing in the hospital setting. I chose to shift my professional focus, took a leap of faith, and established a mental health practice dedicated to infertility counseling. Through intentional relationship-building, professional collaboration, and a series of serendipitous events, that decision led to the development of my practice today. I strive to provide informed, compassionate, evidence-based, individualized mental health care to individuals and families navigating infertility.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Much like an infertility journey, the path to building my practice has been marked by challenges, setbacks, resilience, and, ultimately, growth. My earlier experience as a businesswoman in direct sales taught me the importance of persistence, especially when obstacles arise. One early challenge occurred while I was establishing my practice, when the site where I was located decided to change its focus and close its doors. At the time, my client base was growing, and I suddenly found myself without a physical location from which to provide services. Through networking, adaptability, and persistence, I secured a new location, one that ultimately offered greater opportunity and long-term stability.
Like many small practices, there were also periods of uncertainty: slow days, silent phones, and a calendar that felt far too open. Moving through those moments required continued perseverance and trust in the process. Throughout it all, relationship-building has remained central to my work. I have always believed in showing up for others and giving service first, knowing that strong professional relationships are built on trust, consistency, and shared purpose.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Center for Reproductive Counseling grew directly out of my own infertility journey and professional experience. Having walked this path personally and having done the work of healing, I bring both lived understanding and clinical insight to my work. As a nurse and mental health professional, I integrate medical knowledge with psychological care, supporting clients in ways that reflect the full scope of their experience.
What sets my practice apart is the recognition that no two reproductive journeys are the same. I am deeply committed to providing individualized care to people from all backgrounds and life circumstances. Relationship-building is central to my work; I take the time to truly know the individuals and families I work with, honoring their unique values, beliefs, and experiences. Care is never one-size-fits-all, but intentionally tailored to meet each client where they are.
I am especially proud of the testimonial section of my website, where clients share, in their own words, how this work has supported them through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Those reflections reinforce my commitment to this field and serve as a reminder of the impact that compassionate, specialized care can have. Above all, my goal is to hold space for hope when clients feel they have none, to carry belief for them until they can reclaim it for themselves. At its core, The Center for Reproductive Counseling is grounded in the belief that reproductive challenges deserve informed, empathetic mental health support and that no one should have to navigate these experiences alone.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The qualities most central to my success are resilience, empathy, and a genuine commitment to building relationships. My own infertility journey required patience and perseverance through uncertainty, setbacks, and long periods without clear answers, experiences that profoundly shaped both my clinical work and the development of my practice. Empathy, informed by lived experience and professional training, allows me to meet clients with both compassion and clinical clarity. I also hold a strong belief in others, especially during moments when they may struggle to believe in themselves, and I emphasize a mindset of “this or something better” to foster hope without minimizing uncertainty. Just as important is my belief in showing up consistently for others, offering service, and investing in trust over time. Together, these qualities, persistence during difficult seasons, deep listening, hope grounded in realism, and sincere care for those I serve, continue to guide my work and the ongoing growth of my practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecenterforreproductivecounseling.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-martens-dnp-rn-pmhcns-bc-b56734aa
