Ann Marie Salazar, Marriage Counselor in San Diego, 92108

Ann Marie Salazar, MA, LMFT

Profession(s):
Marriage & Family Therapy, Psychotherapy, Psychology
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - MFC 49674

My Approach to Helping

I believe that the start of change is through self-awareness! Being aware of triggers from past wounds will assist patients at a conscious level explore an understanding and awareness of what is occurring at their unconscious level. As first discovered by the father of Psychoanalysis, Dr. Sigmund Freud, making unconscious memories, conscious is a significant process in developing self awareness and creating change. Unconscious memories from past wounds can at times control and influence someone's current thought patterns, emotions and behaviors. As a result, the way that someone resolves conflict, copes and perceives others and themselves can be affected by unconscious memories. Processing past wounds in therapy can give you more control over a pattern of unconscious and unaware thoughts, behaviors and emotions. I believe that people are doing the best that they can do with what they have learned. According to philosopher John Locke's theory of tabula rasa, infants are born as a blank slate. Adults were conditioned or taught by their environments and caregivers to think, believe, adapt, cope and behave in certain ways. Through therapy and family mapping, you can become aware of what such ways are. I can help you explore what learned behaviors worked for you and what behaviors may have been problematic. I believe that everyone has some of the right tools in their toolbox, but continuously using the most effective tools and replacing tools which no longer work can be challenging. Although some old coping mechanisms may have been tools used to adapt and survive through struggles in the past, you may find that the old coping mechanisms are not working as well in the present. It is understandable that you may feel attachment and security in using old coping mechanisms as they may have protected you from hurt in the past. There may be comfort in using old coping mechanisms and defenses as they are familiar, automatic and safe. Change and creating new adaptations can feel threatening, unfamiliar, frightening and manifest anxiety. Just know that you are not alone! I believe it is my role as your therapist to bring old tools which are no longer effective to your awareness, while making the process of change and new adaptations a nonthreatening experience. While you are the best expert on yourself, I believe my role is to guide you in finding new and effective tools/coping mechanisms to replace your old and ineffective tools. Therapy can only enhance your new toolbox! You can keep old rusty tools stored away in a separate toolbox and have access to them if you need to. My role as your therapist is to guide you into enhancing your toolbox of coping mechanisms, patterns of behaviors and thoughts so that you can have richer relationships with yourself and others..... in a safe, confidential, non-critical and non-judgmental environment! My theoretical approaches and interventions focuses on discovering how your past influences your present, and to create awareness of how your past could control and dictate your future?..if you let it! Your positive and negative thoughts that stem from childhood have some control on your perceptions and your behaviors as an adult. As a result, your thoughts can at times become self-defeating towards yourself and influential towards your relationships with others. Through Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) Techniques such as the CBT Thought record, any negative thought patterns and core beliefs will be traced. Developed by Cognitive Theorist, Dr. Aaron Beck, Cognitive Theory has been used to treat a wide range of issues from depression to chronic Schizophrenia immediately after treatment. According to evidenced based research, people receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy received the largest reduction of symptoms and significant long term improvement. One of my roles as your therapist is to guide you in understanding the behavioral and thought patterns which are contributing to your distress. Techniques and theoretical approaches found in Cognitive Behavioral Theory will give you the tools to track and measure your thought and behavioral patterns through frequency (how often a thought or behavior occurs), amount (how much a thought or behavior occurs) and time (when the thought or behavior occurs). The more you begin to discover and learn about yourself, the more self awareness and control you will have over unwanted thoughts and behaviors. Learning about your physiological responses or internal reactions to your triggers (behaviors, emotions, beliefs or perceptions of others or yourself which can be upsetting and bring you back to your childhood) may guide you in developing your self awareness. The goal of therapy is to expand your toolbox and guide you in becoming your own therapist outside of the therapy room!

More Info About My Practice

Taking the first step in searching for self improvement is difficult for most people and takes courage! Through your curiosity in therapy, you are already off to a new beginning and a path to change! Talking to someone about our everyday problems and exploring past wounds can be difficult for many of us. Just know that you are not alone! It is common for people to have automatic thoughts and behaviors from what they learned in their family. Although it may be difficult to change how your past environment has shaped your patterns, therapy can uncover your hidden processes and give you more control over your thoughts, behaviors and ways of coping. Even if you cannot change the behaviors of the people which may have hurt you, you have the power and control to change the lasting emotional effects that it has in your life! One of the many benefits of therapy is that what you speak about is confidential so what you say in the room, stays in the room! I believe that therapy can only enhance relationships, making them fuller and richer. Whether you are someone who desires increase intimacy with your significant other, a parent who wants greater communication with your child, a student or employee who is having difficulty with achieving your full potential, or someone who is struggling with anger management, depression, anxiety, sexual abuse, grief and loss, ect., I offer many types of therapy based on your individual and/or family needs, which can be combined.Services that I offer include individual therapy, children/adolescent therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, Christian Counseling and group therapy.

For many, therapy is a new unknown experience. My goal of therapy is to work with you in meeting your goals and placing myself in your shoes. Each session is conducted at your pace and your own growth. I provide my clients with a safe place in which they can share their thoughts and feelings to explore any past hurts that stem from their family of origin without any criticism and judgment. A family tree is included in the service and will assist in guiding you with a visual of any repeated family patterns. The genogram/family tree process will create awareness of the triggers from past wounds that have been transmitted for 3 to 4 generations.

I offer a sliding scale fee which is based on your income for psychotherapy services involving individual, couple, family and children therapy. Also, some insurances are accepted, please inquire for more information. I look forward to assisting you in working with your insurance company. Phone and on-line consultation are free. I have experience with diverse backgrounds and issues to meet your needs. I am interested in getting to knowing you and answering any questions which you may have! I look forward in working with you, at your pace, and towards your own goals.

Services I Provide

Individual Therapy & Counseling
Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Other

Ages I Work With

Children
Teens
Adults
Elders

Languages I Speak

English

Groups I Work With

My university and professional work experiences consists of the administration, scoring and interpretation of psychological assessments. My psychotherapy skills are in individual, couple, family, group and play therapy with exposure to children, adolescents, and adults of diverse backgrounds, including, but not limited to: domestic violence offenders, sex offenders, victims of incest in a residential setting and group setting, severely emotionally disturbed children, culture, chemical dependency, divorce/separation issues on children, gay/straight/alliance support groups, issues with self-esteem, grief and loss, anger management, parenting skills, social skills, oppositional deviant disorder, Christian Counseling, ADHD/ADD, inter-racial couples counseling ect.

Furthermore, my experience with psychological testing, evaluations and report writing consists of the utilization of testing instruments such as Cognitive Assessments (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults- Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV), Wechsler Individual Achievement Test- Second Edition (WIAT-II), Conners? Continuous Performance Test II (CPT II V.5), California Verbal Learning Test- second edition (CVLT II), Conners? Adults ADHD Rating Scale Self-report (CAARS Self-Report)); Objective Assessments(Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Second Edition (MMPI II) , Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), NEO Personality Assessment NEO), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II); Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI); State- Trait Anxiety Expression Inventory II (STAXI-II)); and Projective Assessments(Rorschach Inkblot ; Thematic Apperception Task (TAT); Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank (RISB)).