Mariano Martelletti
Psychological Counsellor
A safe, non-judgmental space for those who have been labeled "too much, too intense, too sensitive". Together, we make space for all aspects of your being, including those that have not felt safe to express elsewhere.
I specialise in:
About me
Welcome. I'm Mariano Martelletti, a psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma and high sensitivity. I'm half American, half Argentino, and currently reside in Barcelona, Spain.
English is my native language, and this is important to many of my clients, who sometimes feel that things can get lost in translation when attempting to communicate in a second or third tongue.
I’m deeply interested in how we relate to our inner world — how we think, feel, and respond to life’s challenges, especially when those patterns don’t seem to change despite understanding them.
In sessions, this curiosity becomes a careful, attentive presence. At first, through listening and questions, and then at a deeper level by helping you connect directly with the language of your body. My experience has shown me that trauma is stored in the body at a nervous system level, and compassionate attention to sensation is the most effective tool when it comes to releasing said trauma.
My approach is grounded, focused, and experiential — supporting you to move beyond insight into real change.
A little bit about you:
Most of my clients have been told that they are "too much, too sensitive, too intense". As a fellow outcast, I get it. Our sensitivity can be too much for a vast majority of people, often including family and friends.
Before befriending our sensitive nature, many of us have dealt with life's challenges by masking, trying hard to do what everyone else is doing, all the while approaching life with a "self-improvement attitude".
Even though this can be portrayed as a drive for self-actualization and growth, it's often rooted in the profound and often secret (sometimes even from ourselves) belief that there is something wrong with us.
How does this show up in your life?
Exhaustion, isolation, anxiety, and a repeating cycle of hope and motivation followed by burnout and self-deprication.
Maybe you overthink, feel emotionally overwhelmed, or are hard on yourself. Or you notice a part of you wants things to change—while another part resists or shuts down.
Even when you understand what’s happening, it doesn’t always translate into real change in everyday life.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone—and there’s nothing wrong with you.
I work with people who are thoughtful, introspective, and genuinely committed to understanding themselves — but feel frustrated because insight alone hasn’t led to real change.
Some approaches focus either on understanding the mind or on analyzing the cause of each issue intellectually. In my experience, that helps to achieve a temporary calm, but the patterns eventually crystallize again in the long term. It's like the mind gets it, but the body never got the message.
My work is designed to bridge that gap — in a way that is both psychologically grounded and open to deeper exploration.
I speak:
Location:
Media Gallery
Approach
Sessions with me are collaborative and adapted to you. Some are more reflective, others are more practical, depending on what you need.
Over time, clients often say they notice:
- Less inner tension and self-sabotage
- More clarity and emotional stability
- A greater sense of self-trust
- The ability to respond differently in situations that used to feel automatic
Regarding therapeutic approaches, I work with evidence-based models, primarily Internal Family Systems (IFS), and integrate them with a somatic (body-based) approach. My work is thoroughly trauma-trained, as that is where my expertise lies.
If you'd like to know more about Internal Family Systems, you can read the book "No Bad Parts" by Richard Schwartz, and as for somatic approaches, you can learn more in "When the Body Says No" by Gabor Maté. These books are meant for the general public and are very insightful when it comes to understanding where trauma comes from.
In our first few sessions, we will co-create a therapeutic plan that aligns with your objectives, and we will take some time to identify recurring patterns in your life where you feel 'stuck' and unable to change.
Instead of trying to eliminate these patterns, we work directly with them, from a place of understanding and compassion. This allows for deeper emotional processing and lasting change, rather than analysis alone.
In our work, we:
- Explore stuck parts with curiosity and care
- Understand what they’re trying to protect or prevent
- Create the conditions for them to shift naturally
This allows change to happen at a deeper level — not just intellectually, but in how you actually feel and respond in your daily life. This is about change you can feel. Ultimately, it’s about developing a different relationship with yourself.
Starting therapy can feel uncertain, especially if you’ve tried other things before. You don’t need to have everything figured out. If this resonates, we can start from wherever you are.
Feel free to book an initial free 20-minute consultation to see if I'm the right therapist for you.
You can also send me a message via the It's Complicated chat, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Experience
Telehealth clinical psychotherapist (2021 - 2026) Private practice - Argentina/Spain
Leadership trainer (2020 - 2021) Telus International (Barcelona)
Consulting director & head of staff (2014 - 2019) Catañy & Asociados (Argentina)
Business coach and leadership trainer (2012 - 2014) Catañy & Asociados (Argentina)
Yoga and meditation instructor (2011) Shiva Shakti Rosario - Argentina
Education
Internal Family Systems (Level 1) - IFS Institute USA - 2024
Psychotherapy for Gifted Clients (6-month training) - Intergifted - 2023
Zen Psychotherapy (2-year training) - 2014
Yoga Instructor (500hr) - Shiva Shakti Argentina - 2013
Business Coach (2-year training) ITCR Argentina - 2012
Post-Rationalist Cognitive Therapy Training (2-year) - 2010
Psychologist - University of Palermo - 2009
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Individual Session
Couples Session
Insurances
