Meet Marcela…

“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken”
- Oscar Wilde

Hello! I am Marcela Salamanca, a Registered Clinical Social Worker, with 14 years of experience working with adults, parents/caregivers, teens, and children. I have worked in rural and urban settings and truly love when someone, of any age, is able to overcome their struggle to live a happier and healthier life. 

 I have over 180 hours of formal play therapy training and have worked with children, teens and their parents/caregivers for 8 years. Many of the children and teens I work with struggle with emotion regulation, anxiety, mood problems, attachment concerns, trauma, and managing stress. As a parent, I also understand that we, parents, struggle when our children and teens are not doing well, so part of my work involves consultation with parents. It is my belief that most of us need some help to understand our children/teens and their experiences in order to support them in more effective ways. Most of the children, teens and caregivers/parents I work with look forward to coming back because I also believe that at least some of therapy should be fun!

 I have worked with adults of all ages throughout my career. I believe that as we navigate life, we all experience good, bad and plain ugly situations that can leave an impact on even the most well-adjusted human. And I also know that we can only do and be better when we know better, so there should never be any shame in asking for help! I have worked with adults navigating life transitions, managing stress, anxiety, low mood, trauma, work-life balance, and relational problems. Although many of the people I help end up crying in my office, almost all of them leave with saying “This was good…I can’t wait to come back”. 

My belief about the therapeutic process is that it only works when there is caring, authenticity, collaboration, honesty and the willingness to see the process through. I strive to uphold these values in each session and in my personal life. My goal with each client, regardless of age, is that they leave feeling heard, feeling cared for, and having gained either a new insight or a way of coping that allows them to feel better. 

When I’m not at the office, I can be found outside with my husband, 10 year old son, and our dog. We love adventure and experiencing new things as often as we can!

MARCELA'S ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
·        Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary , Alberta
·        Master of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

ASSOCIATIONS
·        Alberta College of Social Workers
·        Government of NWT, Registered Social Worker

FURTHER TRAINING
·        EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing ·        EMDR - Parent Child Attachment Intensive Program
·        Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Foundational Workshop
·        Play Therapy, Levels 1 & 2 & 3     ·       Circle of Security Parenting