About Smadar

About Smadar Salzman

TRAUMA PSYCHOTHERAPIST

My 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 decade and a half 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.

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.

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

- viktor frankl

experience and training

I am a bilingual/bicultural Spanish-speaking licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing individual, relationship, and family psychotherapy in San Francisco, California. 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 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 and pre-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 trauma, therapist safety in community mental health settings, and cross-cultural competence, and have researched and written on the topic of women and anger.

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.”

- leonard cohen

Education, licenses, & certifications

M.A., Counseling Psychology, Marriage & Family Therapy Emphasis, University of San Francisco, 2007
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California License #47213
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Certified Domestic Violence Treatment Provider
TeleMental Health and Digital Ethics Certification

Professional Affiliations

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, San Francisco Chapter
International Association of Trauma Professionals
Bay Area Open Minds
Association of SF Bay Area Spanish Speaking Mental Health Clinicians
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
Northern California Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy
Self and Relational Psychoanalytic Colloquium
Professional Grief Caregivers' Network

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