(she/her)
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in working with adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, insomnia, chronic pain and/or chronic illness. Other areas of focus that I can help you with include relationship issues, anger, stress-management, physical and learning disabilities including ADD/ADHD, life-stage issues and self-esteem. My professional career began as a certified American Sign Language Interpreter in 2001 and quickly progressed into earning a Graduate degree in Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. My training provided the experience needed to work in a community mental health clinic providing high quality mental health care to residents in Austin, TX for 6 years. My interests in whole health led me to San Antonio to work with chronic illness, transplant, and geriatric care for roughly 10 years. Along this journey, I have had the opportunity to work with multinational clients seeking refugee services, worked as the Associate Director for Student Accessibility Services at a private university and currently involved in a fulfilling career as a counselor to veterans of our Armed Forces. I enjoy staying busy. On my time off, I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my friends and family, always searching for my next adventure.
In our first session together, we will start with brief introductions, then dive into the intake assessment. Next we will discuss the specific challenges you are facing as well as create a tailored treatment plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. You will be encouraged to come up with 1-3 goals you would like to focus on while in counseling. It might help you to think about the following question: “If I were to wake up tomorrow and I felt better, what would that look like? How would I know I am doing better? What are some helpful things I wish I could start doing? What are some negative coping behaviors I wish I could stop doing?”
My strengths as a counselor include my fluency in English, Spanish and American Sign Language. My personal and professional experiences working with chronic illness, disabilities, end of life, veterans, and refugees have given me a well-rounded understanding of personal struggles allowing me to express empathy with genuine unconditional positive regard to those I work with.
Adults who are either Deaf and use American Sign Language to communicate, and adults in English and Spanish.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
My counseling career has focused on evidenced based therapeutic approaches. Cognitive Behavioral therapy is effective by focusing on the present, teaching practical skills, helps people help themselves and takes a collaborative approach where the therapist works with the patient to find solutions.
5 ratings with written reviews
November 25, 2025
Myrna is a wonderful listener and always explains things in a way that truly makes sense to me. She consistently reassures me that my feelings are valid, and I’m really grateful for that. I also appreciate how deeply she understands my experiences as a first-generation American and someone with a hearing impairment.
September 23, 2025
Dr. Marinik has been an integral part of my progress over the last year and a half. She has helped me navigate anxiety, grief, and monumental changes in my life. Her solution-oriented approach has helped me identify tools and ways to better understand my behavior. She is warm, authentic, approachable, and very likable - she has not once made me feel judged or anything negative. I'm grateful to have found her and would recommend her to anyone seeking help.
September 12, 2025
Even though I am an anxious person, I felt comfortable talking about issues that I felt like I needed to deal with.