It’s time to heal the wounds that trauma has caused.
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.
You've come to the right place. What happened in the past doesn’t have to define you in the present.
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I'm Smadar Salzman (she/her). And I believe your past does not have to dictate your future.I help adults who've experienced abusive or neglectful relationships break free from the past and find healing by providing the safe space to deeply understand and make sense of the impact of what they’ve been through.
Lots of 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. I know that part of trauma is being disempowered. 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. My clients tell me that therapy with me feels different. It feels grounding, validating, and most of all, safe. |
I'm dedicated to helping people 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.
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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.
Witnessing my clients' growth and transformation is my biggest joy. I feel honored to be a part of their healing journeys. Here are some of my clients' 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 and my BA in Cultural Geography from Cal Poly Humboldt. 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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It's time to find a therapist who truly gets you on a deeper level. I'd be honored to accompany and guide you on your healing journey.
I offer a free initial consultation so we can connect and get a better sense of each other. You'll be able to ask me questions about my work, as well as talk about your goals for therapy (it's ok if you can't articulate goals). I encourage you to read more about me and review the other pages of my site prior to reaching out for a consultation. Connecting with other therapists for consultations can also help you decide who is the best fit for the work you want to do. Your healing is important, and you deserve trustworthy and competent support.