Heidi Smaradottir

I am a graduate of John F Kennedy University with my Masters's in Counseling Psychology. I am passionate about working with the LGBTQI+ community and the Neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism, etc) community. My range of experience spans from working with young children, adolescents, teenagers, and adults. I have been in the mental health field since 2014 where I started off as a mental and social health consultant in Reykjavik, Iceland. There I provided care for adults with chronic mental disabilities. I then worked at Vinakot ehf. in Reykjavík, Iceland. There I promoted emotional and social support to teenagers with various mental health diagnoses through health care and companionship. During my Master's program, I worked at Momentum for Mental Health, in San Jose, CA. There I guided clients in effective therapeutic exercises integrated from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I also provided counseling and support to clients with drug and alcohol use issues. I then moved on to work as a clinical therapist intern at the Community-Based Counseling Program at JFKU in Pleasant Hill, CA. There I counseled clients on concerns such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, financial difficulties, anxiety, depression, distress during COVID, etc. I performed individual and group psychotherapy and conducted teletherapy sessions to help clients pinpoint emotions underlying personal and relational conflict. These experiences have allowed me to become adaptable, empathetic, authentic, and culturally informed. In my free time, I am active in Mixed Martial Arts, Team Handball, Horseback riding, and traveling. I love engaging in deep discussions with friends and spending time with those who are important to me.