Madison Salvati

MS, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor California

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor serving California Residents

With roots in wilderness, somatic, and adventure therapy, Madi brings holistic and full-body approach to her practice. Additionally, Madi brings her background in international adoption to the table with an emphasis in family systems. Madi originally worked in campaigning and grant writing for an adoption agency in the northwest, but felt she could be have a greater impact by directly supporting families as they address their intergenerational issues, trauma, and attachment styles. Madi studied and obtained her master’s degree in adventure-based and somatic therapy at Prescott College, while also working as an intern and field guide for the Family Services team at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy in CO. Madi currently works as a primary therapist at a residential treatment facility specializing in family addiction services and PHP in the greater Bay Area. Madi enjoys learning about and researching the impact of movement and adventure-based experiences while treating dual diagnoses in adolescents and their family systems.

Working with Madi:

Madi’s theoretical approach stems from an understanding of systems theory and how it impacts individuals within a family system. Madi also utilizes a person-centered approach, emphasizing that each person within that system has the capacity to be the expert in their own lives. When forming a new therapeutic alliance with a client, Madi begins by unpacking any barriers to treatment such as trauma or ongoing issues with substance use disorders. Madi considers the complexities that stem from the family system and how this impacts each individual, their beliefs, motivations, and past experiences in treatment.

Madi’s Training & Experience

Madi has extensive experience working in the residential treatment environment in the PHP and wilderness therapy settings in California, Colorado, and Utah. She teaches trauma-informed surf therapy in the Bay Area to continue to hone her understanding of how unintegrated trauma affects the body. She also offers consultation and aftercare planning for families while their child experiences residential care in wilderness. Her specialties include treating anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stabilization for families in crisis, and trauma-informed care. Madi’s training is rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Attachment Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Somatic experiencing specifically for adolescents struggling with addiction.

Ginny-Advanced-Therapy-Training-Professional-Experience

Outside of the Therapy Practice

In her free time, Madi enjoys trail running and climbing in the Sierra Nevada mountains. She also finds great joy in spending every spare weekend of the winter months skiing, learning about avalanche rescue, and practicing her wilderness first responder skills.

Licensure and Certifications

CA-Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC #15888)

– Supervised by Ginny Bahr (LPC #5003)

Wilderness First Responder & Avalanche Rescue Level I

Surf Therapy Level I

Affilitated Associations

ACA – American Counseling Association
CALPCC – California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors

AEE – Association for Experiential Education