My Story
Welcome friend — I’m so happy you found your way here. There is a voice inside each of us — quiet, persistent, and profoundly wise. Most of us have felt it at some point. That gentle pull toward something more. That knowing that arrives not with fanfare, but with a stillness that cuts straight through the noise.
I have been listening to mine since I was a little girl.
I’m Dawn Martinez
My Story
I did not grow up in an easy home. I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, in an environment shadowed by physical and emotional abuse — the kind of childhood that could have hardened a heart beyond repair. And yet, even then, there was a whisper. A quiet, steady voice that guided me toward safety, toward softness, toward survival. It led me to the homes of friends, to the arms of my grandmother and great-grandmother — two women who, in the midst of everything, showed me what unconditional love truly looked and felt like. They kept my heart open when every circumstance around me was trying to close it.
I remember the moment I chose myself for the first time. I was seventeen years old, and my beloved Great Grammy had passed away in Ohio. My father told me I had no reason to go — that I could see her in paradise. And somewhere deep inside me, a voice rose up and said: if this is how this works, then this is not for me. He called me the greatest disappointment of his life. It was a gut punch I felt in my bones. But I got on that plane. I made it to her funeral. I was the only great-grandchild there. And in that moment of grief and love and quiet defiance, my life’s journey truly began.
What followed were years of navigating immense challenge with extraordinary resilience. At twenty-four weeks pregnant, I was rushed by ambulance to the hospital in organ failure. My son Jordan was born at one pound, two ounces — given only a twenty percent chance to survive. For six months and beyond, I refused to let that statistic be his story. And today, he is a beautiful, kindhearted young man — my greatest work in progress, and my greatest pride.
Through every pivotal moment — leaving home at seventeen, becoming a single mother, navigating job loss without losing my ground, and ultimately finding my wife and building the life I have today — that whisper never left me. It has been the throughline of everything. And it is the reason I do this work.
I collaborate closely with each client, meeting them wherever they are in their journey…
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Together, we delve deep into the underlying patterns that may be holding them back and utilize a tailored combination of proven tools and techniques to create a clear, actionable path forward.
My Journey to IAT Coaching
Explorative Steps
Why I Became a Coach
My path to coaching was not linear — but in hindsight, it was always inevitable.
For over twelve years, I have been deeply committed to one purpose: helping people understand why they are the way they are — and showing them that they have the power to change. My journey began in the medical field, where I quickly realized that the depth of transformation I sought to offer could not fully manifest within that environment. Something was missing. The work needed to go deeper — beneath the symptoms, beneath the behaviors, all the way to the root.
That realization led me to the Personal Development School, founded by Thais Gibson, where I immersed myself in focused study and intensive training. I emerged as a certified Personal Development Coach, specializing in Integrated Attachment Theory — a framework that finally gave language to everything I had lived, survived, and ultimately transcended.
My “Aha” Moment
I am not a coach who simply understands trauma intellectually. I have lived it — in my bones, in my nervous system, in every room I had to find a way to survive. I know what it is to reach for safety and find danger instead. I know what it costs to carry pain in silence. And I know, with every fiber of my being, what it feels like to finally hear your own voice clearly — and choose to follow it.
That is precisely why I can sit across from you in your hardest moment and not flinch. Not because I am unaffected, but because I have been there. And I found my way through.
Finding Integrated Attachment Theory was not just a professional discovery — it was a personal gift. Getting certified and being able to use this work to guide others through their own journeys has been the greatest blessing of my life.
Credentials and Trainings
I have undergone extensive trainings and earned my professional certification in Integrated Attachment Theory through the Personal Development School. This formalized training equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of how attachment patterns shape behavior, self-worth, and relationships.
As with any respected post-secondary or professional certification, ongoing training is paramount in the field of IAT. I continue to engage in ongoing CLE courses, professional development seminars, and licensing programs to ensure I stay abreast with the latest advancements in personal development and attachment research,
Comprehensive care
I work with adults 25 and older — individuals and couples — who are ready to stop cycling through the same painful patterns and start building something new. Using the transformative framework of Integrated Attachment Theory, we will go beneath the surface together. We will trace the roots of what has been holding you back. We will meet your wounds with compassion, your patterns with curiosity, and your future with intention.
This is not a one-size-fits-all program. This is a deeply personalized, profoundly human experience — and it begins the moment you decide you are ready.
Your whisper has been trying to get your attention. I am here to help you finally hear it.
This work is more than a career for me — it’s a calling
I am deeply passionate about helping individuals reclaim their power, find their authentic selves, and build healthier relationships.
Every person’s story is unique, and it is a privilege to walk alongside each client as they embark on their journey to transformation.
My dedication to emotional development is rooted in my own experiences of growth and healing, and it is this genuine passion that drives me to help others find their way to a more fulfilling life.
