About Dr. Marti Schwartz

I’ve been a psychologist helping people with struggles in living since 1993. Struggles in living encompasses relationship issues, anxiety, depression and even formulating answers to “where do I go from here.”

I have a B.A. in education from George Washington University and a Masters and Doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University. I interned at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital. My training includes individual, couples and family therapy, helping people enrich their lives and find peace and joy with themselves and each other.

After 9/11 I, with my husband , Dr. Ron Ellis, decided to join the American Red Cross to give back to our community, county, state and country. Initially we provided disaster services, counseling people experiencing the worst day of their lives, losing everything in a house fire or losing loved ones in rail or plane accidents. We also taught Psychological First Aid classes as well as Foundations in Disaster Mental Health to licensed mental health professionals. Subsequently, my husband and I grew into a leadership role managing the Disaster Mental Health team including the 13 southern counties of our state. Our responsibilities included supervising 60+ mental health professions in providing services to some 6 million people. At that time, we had also been trained to run reunification groups to our returning veterans and their families. The participation in these volunteer services continued for 15 years.

With all my experiences, I have learned that suffering with relationship and emotional issues does not have to be forever. In my office I provide a safe, empathic and warm environment where you can explore your struggles and together, we can find a better way for you to experience a more peaceful, joyful and rewarding life at home, work and play.

If you found me through my husband’s web page, you might be aware of something he and I do in couples therapy which is quite unique and effective . Because there are a tremendous amount of feelings when couples are in conflict, it is often difficult for their issues to be resolved until some of the intensity of those feelings have decreased . A system my husband and I found to work well is for each of us to see one member of the couple individually, which enables them to process and reduce some of the intensity of their emotions. When we all decide we’re ready to meet together, all 4 of us will meet at the same time. The advantage to our unique system is during that therapy time, we can stay a foursome, or we can divide the time/separate depending on how the best interest of the couple is served at that time. In that way, issues are more readily resolved and the couple walks away with tools to resolve any further differences that may arise in the future. Many of the couples we have worked with in this manner report their relationship to be stronger and more loving that ever before.