A safe space to get the support you need.
Trusting others and being vulnerable can be scary, especially when you've had some negative experiences in the past. It's not easy to set boundaries and voice your needs when experience tells you that having boundaries and needs might make people hurt or abandon you. Having a trusted therapist by your side can provide a safe and consistent space for healing relational and complex trauma. You can learn how to create better boundaries with your family and friends, overcome fears about dating and intimacy to build healthy romantic relationships, and begin feeling safe in your own skin.
Your past doesn’t have to define your future.
I'm Smadar Salzman.I help Millennial & Gen-X survivors of childhood emotional neglect, abuse, & relational trauma break free from their past and finally heal.
I provide a safe, empowering space to explore and unravel the full impact of your past on your life, your relationships, and your sense of self. Many therapists who treat trauma aren't truly Complex-Trauma informed. Many use modalities with specific therapist-led treatment protocols. My clients have told me this doesn't feel helpful to them. They feel stuck repeating the same things week after week and not making progress. Most importantly, they don't feel empowered. Therapy with me is different. My clients say it feels grounding, validating, and most of all, safe. I know that a big part of relational trauma is disempowerment. I'm here to connect with you human-to-human in a way that empowers you. I'll help you access your own inner strength and wisdom while showing you skills to feel more secure in your life and relationships. |
Life doesn't have to stay this way.
Healing from relational and complex trauma (C-PTSD) and childhood emotional neglect is possible. You just need a little guidance and support to get there.
I can help you heal after relational trauma, betrayal, abuse, and emotional neglect.
My style is calm, deeply caring, authentic, and respectful of each person's unique goals, struggles, and strengths. I'm deep, but also light. You might be surprised at how quickly tears can transform into laughter; pain into compassion.
I'm supportive and validating but not afraid to challenge and shine light on hidden parts of you that need healing or strengthening. Together we can find and heal parts of you that were there to help you survive, but now get in the way of feeling safe and secure within yourself and in your adult relationships.
My role is to hold a mirror while also holding your hand, providing safety and comfort along with reflection and guidance toward healing, growth, change, and transformation.
I'm supportive and validating but not afraid to challenge and shine light on hidden parts of you that need healing or strengthening. Together we can find and heal parts of you that were there to help you survive, but now get in the way of feeling safe and secure within yourself and in your adult relationships.
My role is to hold a mirror while also holding your hand, providing safety and comfort along with reflection and guidance toward healing, growth, change, and transformation.
Empowering you to heal from relational & complex trauma (C-PTSD).
Because real, deep, lasting transformation happens in small steps over time in a safe environment.
You need a therapist who deeply understands complex trauma. I get it because I've also lived it.The type of support you need is unique to you, and finding a person that you feel comfortable with is so important. While your therapy will be focused on you, below are a few things that may be helpful for you to know about me. These experiences have shaped the way I navigate the world, and continue to guide my therapeutic approach. Scroll all the way down if you're looking for my education, training, and credentials or read on for my personal story.
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On a personal note: where I come from and why I'm here today dedicating my life to supporting you in your healing journey.
Born and raised between rural Northern California and remote Southern Mexico to high-conflict parents who divorced shortly after my birth, I spent much of my life navigating diverse spaces that left me feeling connected to multiple countries, languages, values and belief systems- while also feeling like an outsider and observer everywhere. As a young adult, I travelled extensively throughout Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, and spent some time living on a kibbutz in Israel. My great-grandparents on both sides were refugees from political and religious persecution, so I have family spread across the world. I’m first generation American on my mom’s side, and first generation college educated on both sides. My family’s history, in combination with my own personal experience of growing up in multicultural and multilingual households, and my global wanderings as a young adult all had a huge impact on my identity, my interests, and my career. I grew up fascinated by the way we construct the narrative of our identity and curious about the impact of our formative environment on our worldview, relationships, and beliefs. I knew early on that I wanted to study psychology and work specifically with people navigating intergenerational trauma, complex family dysfunction, and the effects of traumatic formative experiences on adult relationships with self and others.
(Content warning: suicide)
In my teenage years, I had some pivotal experiences that impacted the way in which I live my life and practice as a therapist. Most significant of all was the loss of my sister to suicide. That loss changed my life trajectory in an instant, and sent me reeling into years of depression and hopelessness. I offer this part of my story here because of the ways in which it shifted what I know to be true about the effects of family dysfunction on the formation of self and self-worth. I, too, lived through the painful family circumstances that led my sister to believe suicide was her only option. I, too, viewed the world through the same distorted lens. I understand, having emerged and healed from this distortion, how painful and inescapable it feels when you're in it. I also understand that the healing process is lifelong. My path out of pain and darkness began with the unravelling of my family's own dysfunctional patterns. This path led toward my first volunteer counseling experiences and ultimately to my calling as a psychotherapist.
Being a therapist sustainably requires balance, and I practice what I preach. I maintain a small case load and a highly specialized practice in order to provide the highest level of care for each of my clients and to maintain my own self-care. In my time away from work, I love venturing into the mountains or heading to the ocean to replenish and nurture myself. I find that I can always rely on nature for perspective and awe. Life's little moments of beauty and connection are the ones I cherish the most, and I am grateful to be here to experience them.
(Content warning: suicide)
In my teenage years, I had some pivotal experiences that impacted the way in which I live my life and practice as a therapist. Most significant of all was the loss of my sister to suicide. That loss changed my life trajectory in an instant, and sent me reeling into years of depression and hopelessness. I offer this part of my story here because of the ways in which it shifted what I know to be true about the effects of family dysfunction on the formation of self and self-worth. I, too, lived through the painful family circumstances that led my sister to believe suicide was her only option. I, too, viewed the world through the same distorted lens. I understand, having emerged and healed from this distortion, how painful and inescapable it feels when you're in it. I also understand that the healing process is lifelong. My path out of pain and darkness began with the unravelling of my family's own dysfunctional patterns. This path led toward my first volunteer counseling experiences and ultimately to my calling as a psychotherapist.
Being a therapist sustainably requires balance, and I practice what I preach. I maintain a small case load and a highly specialized practice in order to provide the highest level of care for each of my clients and to maintain my own self-care. In my time away from work, I love venturing into the mountains or heading to the ocean to replenish and nurture myself. I find that I can always rely on nature for perspective and awe. Life's little moments of beauty and connection are the ones I cherish the most, and I am grateful to be here to experience them.
My clients' growth and transformation is my biggest joy. I feel honored to be a part of their healing journeys and to hear their reflections on our work together.
"Smadar made me feel safe, seen, and heard. She helped me to forgive myself not only for what had been done to me, but for how I’d behaved as a result. She provided the utmost compassion on my therapeutic journey." |
"Smadar has such a deep understanding and way of working with complex and formative trauma. We’re not always directly talking about healing from trauma in sessions, but somehow we are always working on the trauma." |
"Working with you has been life-changing. It's truly been a gift and I'm so grateful. Thank you for helping me figure out how to take care of myself. You are the best." |
"You are the most amazing healer I've ever had access to. I am so grateful for the support you've given me. For how you've helped me see and change my life and my relationships. I'm forever grateful to have found you." |
Experience & Training
I'm a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I received my Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from University of San Francisco. During my graduate traineeship I was one of two interns to receive a grant from the California Endowment's Culturally Sensitive Intern Program; I concurrently completed three years of clinical training at Family Service Agency in Santa Rosa, providing culturally-appropriate counseling and psychotherapy to Latinx immigrant clients in Spanish.
I'm also trained and certified as a Clinical Complex Trauma Professional and Domestic Violence Counselor with several years experience facilitating court-mandated groups for women who had been arrested for perpetrating domestic violence against their romantic partners. What I learned from these women was the connection between their own unresolved early traumas, particularly sexual abuse, and their difficulty regulating their emotions in their adult romantic relationships. I continue to implement the wisdom they shared with me into the work I do today.
In addition to providing psychotherapy, I worked for several years as a Clinical Supervisor at Fred Finch Youth Center in Oakland on issues relating to childhood and developmental trauma within the foster care system. I've offered trainings and workshops on vicarious traumatization, therapist safety in community mental health settings, and cross-cultural competence, and have researched and written on the topic of women and anger.
I'm also trained and certified as a Clinical Complex Trauma Professional and Domestic Violence Counselor with several years experience facilitating court-mandated groups for women who had been arrested for perpetrating domestic violence against their romantic partners. What I learned from these women was the connection between their own unresolved early traumas, particularly sexual abuse, and their difficulty regulating their emotions in their adult romantic relationships. I continue to implement the wisdom they shared with me into the work I do today.
In addition to providing psychotherapy, I worked for several years as a Clinical Supervisor at Fred Finch Youth Center in Oakland on issues relating to childhood and developmental trauma within the foster care system. I've offered trainings and workshops on vicarious traumatization, therapist safety in community mental health settings, and cross-cultural competence, and have researched and written on the topic of women and anger.
Education, Licensure, & Certifications (Selected) |
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Professional Associations |
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You are not defined by your past trauma.
You deserve someone who truly understands you. Because when you feel safe, seen, and validated, therapy can actually work! Schedule your free consultation online today to begin your path to a more connected, emotionally stable you.
My Specialties
Individual TherapyOnline in the San Francisco Bay Area and all of California
Do you feel frustrated, caught in repetitive toxic relationship cycles, and losing yourself while trying to please others? Are self-critical thoughts and past trauma casting shadows over your relationships, leaving you feeling unlovable and disconnected? Individual therapy offers a life-changing journey, guiding you from self-blame and numbness to understanding, connection, and inner peace, helping you break free from the cycle of self-doubt and rediscover yourself.
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Couples CounselingOnline in the San Francisco Bay Area and all of California
Do you find yourselves longing for deeper connection but feeling hindered by past wounds or family dynamics? Are you navigating a challenging phase of your relationship and feeling stuck in conflict or defensiveness? Couples therapy offers a transformative path, guiding you from disconnection to openness and emotional attunement, rekindling the bond you both desire.
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Therapy for TherapistsOnline in the San Francisco Bay Area and all of California
Are you feeling isolated while navigating the complexities of being a therapist? Do you yearn for a space where you can authentically explore your innermost fears and anxieties? Online therapy with a seasoned therapist offers you a dedicated sanctuary, your own safe place to delve into your emotions and foster the self-care principles you extend to others.
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Diverse populations are always welcome in my practice, including all cultures, sexual orientations, genders, and relationship structures.