About Geraldine Salazar, MHC-LP
Anxiety, Relationship, & Trauma Therapist in New York
My work focuses on relationships, trauma, grief, religious trauma, anxiety, identity development, self-esteem, and life transitions.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been a sensitive person. When friends and family shared their pain and emotions, I felt them deeply. Looking back at my life experiences and the different jobs and careers I pursued, I can trace a line across all of them: a profound care for people’s internal experiences and an endless curiosity about why they viewed life the way they did.
I believe therapy is one of the very few places where people can come to unmask, if they so choose. In doing so, we can begin the worthwhile journey of uncovering what’s underneath the layers we’ve been holding up and crafting a life that feels fully our own rather than one based entirely on the narratives we grew up with.
My work is especially meaningful to me when supporting women and women-identified individuals who are questioning who they are, redefining societal or family expectations, and searching for a more authentic way of relating to themselves and others.
My Specialties
Attachment
Complex/Childhood Trauma
Couples Therapy
Grief and loss
Anxiety
Identity development
Life transitions
Impostor syndrome
Bicultural and immigrant experiences
Availability: I offer in-person therapy in Midtown Manhattan and virtual therapy across New York.
My Approach
My clinical approach is integrative, with a psychodynamic and relational foundation. I deeply believe that our attachment history, the stories we grew up with, and the world we were exposed to significantly influence our relationships with others and ourselves.
Together, we’ll explore what is underneath the patterns you’re experiencing now. That might mean looking at early attachment experiences, family or societal expectations, relational trauma, identity, or the ways you learned to understand yourself and your place in the world.
My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and insight-focused. Once rapport is established, I believe a combination of unconditional positive regard and directness allows us to remain goal-oriented while still staying connected to our humanity.
For many of the people I work with, there comes a point when following the instructions given by family, culture, or society no longer feels like enough. You may have spent years doing what you believed you needed to do to be successful or fulfilled, only to find yourself wondering who you actually are.
Our work can be a place to begin.
Together, we can uncover patterns and blind spots, build upon the resilience you already have, strengthen self-confidence and self-esteem, improve your relationship with yourself and others, and create healthier ways of moving through your life.
I also believe it is necessary to talk about the impact of larger systems on mental health and wellbeing. The mental health space was not initially created with women or BIPOC communities in mind, and those realities can matter deeply when we are trying to understand a person’s experiences.
My Background
Becoming a therapist has felt like the culmination of many of my life experiences.
When I entered the mental health field and began learning about therapeutic work, I realized how similar it felt to my natural inclination toward listening to people’s stories, and, more importantly, existing with them as they lived those stories.
I see the therapeutic space as both courageous and challenging, and I deeply admire the place it can hold for the search for authenticity and meaning. Becoming a therapist gave me a channel through which I could continue trying to make sense of people and our humanity.
My own experience immigrating to the United States as a pre-teen shaped the way I understand identity, anxiety, loss, and major life transitions.
Navigating that transition while I was still developing my own identity became one of the main catalysts for my own therapy journey and self-discovery.
Because of this, I feel very comfortable working with people navigating immigration, restarting in a new country, first- and second-generation immigrant experiences, and the complexities of living between cultures.
Education, Credentials, & Trainings
Master of Arts, Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness — New York University
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology — Rutgers University
New York Mental Health Counselor, Limited Permit — #18-P136902-01
Supervised by Julie Newman, LMHC-D — #009528
NPI #1760230718
Supporting Clients of Diverse Religious Backgrounds: Culturally Responsive Practice for Mental Health Professionals — Michael Chiappone, LCSW, 2026
3-Part DBT Training Series in Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, and Emotion Regulation — Rachel L. Hutt, Ph.D., 2026
Trauma-informed approach
Outside of Session
I love painting, nature, traveling, yoga, Pilates, analyzing movies and TV shows, and reading.
When I’m not working, you can often find me dog-watching at parks, visiting museums, going to live music, psychoanalyzing a movie or TV show, or finding interesting books for my personal library.
Ready to begin?
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation with me to talk about what you're dealing with and explore whether working with me is the right next step.
I support clients navigating anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma, grief, identity development, and self esteem.
I offer in person therapy in Midtown Manhattan and virtual therapy across New York State.
Still have questions?
Fill out this form and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.