About Smadar Salzman, LMFT
Pronouns: she/her
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my backgroundMy entry into the field began in 2004 when I volunteered as a group facilitator for children and families coping with chronic/terminal illness or the death of a loved one at the Center for Attitudinal Healing in Sausalito, California. That experience strengthened my desire to be a companion and support for people struggling to find meaning and to cope with seemingly unbearable life circumstances. Since then I have had the privilege to be a part of many people's healing journeys. I hold a deep passion and commitment to providing the environment, the support, and the tools for my clients to create meaningful, fulfilling lives. Over the past 15 years I have worked extensively with trauma survivors in private practice and community mental health agencies, and have gained additional training and expertise in treating complex, developmental, and interpersonal trauma. I'm also passionate about helping immigrants and refugees get asylum and helping families stay together; I have more than a decade experience conducting mental health evaluations for immigration legal cases. I welcome diverse populations in my therapy practice, including all sexual orientations, genders, and relationship structures.
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My Approach
My therapeutic style is calm, deeply caring, and respectful of each person's unique goals, struggles, and strengths. I practice psychodynamic psychotherapy, which means I help you gain awareness of your internal and external obstacles in order to promote deep and lasting changes in your life. I also provide the practical tools you need to express yourself fully and to communicate and get along with the people in your life. I draw from multiple schools of therapy including existential, family systems, attachment theory, and interpersonal neurobiology.
Experience & Training
I am a bilingual/multi-cultural Spanish-speaking California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Prior to receiving my Master's degree from the Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy program at University of San Francisco I enrolled in the California Endowment's Culturally Sensitive Intern Program and concurrently completed three years of clinical training at Family Service Agency in Santa Rosa, California providing culturally-appropriate counseling and psychotherapy to Latinx immigrant clients in Spanish. I am also trained and certified as a Clinical Complex Trauma Professional and Domestic Violence Counselor with several years experience facilitating court-mandated domestic violence perpetrator groups for women. In addition to providing psychotherapy, I provide clinical case consultation to licensed therapists in my private practice. I worked for several years as a clinical supervisor at Fred Finch Youth Center in Oakland on issues relating to childhood trauma. I have 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, Licenses, & Certifications
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California Lic. #47213
- University of San Francisco, Masters in Counseling Psychology, 2007
- Complex Trauma Certification Training Levels 1 & 2 (CCTP/CCTP-II) with Janina Fisher, Ph.D. and Bessel van der Kolk, MD., 2019-2020
- Digital Ethics & Telemental Health Certification, Zur Institute, 2018
- EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy) Externship & Core Skills Training with Sue Johnson & Sam Jinich 2014-2015
- New Frontiers in Trauma Treatment Externship with Bessel van der Kolk, MD., 2013
- Certified Domestic Violence Intervention Specialist, 2008
my Professional Affiliations include
- Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
- Member, International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Member, Bay Area Open Minds