Ellen Geller Kamaras
“One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing the client’s progress happen outside of the therapy room. I love when a client comes back and tells me, ‘I thought about what you would say’ or ‘I heard your voice in my head when I was dealing with that.’ That’s when I know therapy is becoming something the person can carry with them into their everyday life.” ~ Adele ~
Please meet Adele Salem, a wife, mom, and licensed clinical social worker. Adele is the founder of her own private therapy practice and is a therapist at Sephardic Bikur Holim of Brooklyn.
Let’s hear about Adele’s life story and her approach and vision for helping her clients and for having a meaningful life. Here in Voices of Vision our community women reveal what drives them to be the best version of themselves. Adele joins an esteemed group of community women here.
Adele’s friendliness and openness was apparent from the start.
Roots and Education
Adele feels blessed to have been born into a warm family that has been strongly connected to the community for generations. She grew up in Deal and is the youngest of four children. Adele earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work at Rutgers University and went on to complete her Master of Social Work at New York University.
Adele was an outgoing and adventurous child with many interests.
Academically, Adele preferred her science and Judaic studies classes to math and history. “I have always loved animals, especially dogs. I’ve never shied away from an adventure. Believe it or not, I have gone skydiving and cage shark diving!”
Family members and friends describe Adele as hardworking, ambitious, curious, and adventurous. She is also creative, warm, calm, poised, passionate, and self-aware.
Marriage and Family
Adele met her naseeb, Max, through deep family ties. “Our families have been very connected for multiple generations, but we had never met!” The couple lived in Brooklyn when they were first married and recently moved to Deal. They have one daughter.
Role Models
Adele’s parents have incredibly influenced her and grounded her in the values she carries into both her personal and professional life. “I also have an aunt who is a therapist. Having a family member who understood this profession gave me an early window into the work and the impact it can have.”
Career Path and Passions
Adele began to explore her interest in working with people and animals at Rutgers. She loves animals and her dream was to become a veterinarian. Struggling through chemistry classes made her realize that she would not make it through veterinary school. Adele had also briefly shadowed a vet and saw that her fear of needles was a big obstacle. She has since put her own therapeutic techniques to work on herself!
Adele started to google different careers that combined her interest in dogs and animal behavior with her interest in human behavior and the human-animal bond. “When I discovered Animal Assisted Therapy, it was one of those moments where everything clicked.” Adele pursued her bachelor’s in social work and worked with an Applied Behavior Analysis therapist during the pandemic. Working with autistic children in a masked kindergarten setting was challenging.
When Adele’s dog, Rosie, entered Adele’s life, the plan was for the two to work together. “We’ve been a team since then!” For clients who love dogs, Rosie joins Adele’s in-person sessions as a calming, comforting presence.
Adele went for her MSW because she wanted to pursue clinical work and was drawn to NYU’s strong clinical training and reputation. While studying for her masters, Adele completed an internship at SBH Counseling Center. After graduating, she was thrilled to be offered a position at SBH and has remained there throughout her clinical career.
Adele works with clients experiencing a variety of difficulties including anxiety, life transitions, relationship challenges, self-esteem issues, trauma, grief, and specific phobias, including fear of dogs. Her approach is collaborative and flexible, and is tailored to each client’s individual needs. Adele integrates evidence-based strategies with insight-oriented work to help clients better understand themselves while building practical coping skills.
Recently, Adele launched her own private practice, where she offers individual therapy. Her practice’s tagline, “Compassionate Therapy for Lasting Change,” captures what she hopes every client will experience. Adele thrives on seeing her clients progress outside of the therapy room and integrate what they learned in therapy into their daily lives.
In addition to working with children and adults, Adele practices Canine Assisted Therapy. Partnering with her therapy dog, Rosie, Adele has helped many clients overcome their fear of dogs. CAT is a fast-growing form of therapy, which is recognized for its benefits in enhancing emotional well-being, reducing stress, and improving social interactions. CAT can be effective in hospital or rehabilitation settings, clinical settings, and in schools. It has proven successful in helping children with learning disabilities or emotional challenges, and also has shown to work with seniors.
Achievements and Challenges
One of Adele’s proudest professional accomplishments is creating Unleashing Confidence, a group focused on helping people overcome their fear of dogs through therapeutic exposure, education about dog behavior and body language, and the use of learned coping skills. “What makes it especially meaningful to me is seeing the transformation that can happen. I’ve worked with people who used to run across the street to avoid a dog and have seen them reach a point where they’re comfortable around dogs, approaching them, and even petting them! There’s something incredibly rewarding about watching someone realize that a fear that once felt so limiting doesn’t have to control their life.”
Earlier in her career, Adele was very focused on work and strove to always be available. Over time, she learned that being dedicated to one’s job does not mean being available every minute of the day. “Learning boundaries has made me a better professional and allowed me to be more present in the rest of my life.”
When asked what contributes to her success Adele responded, “For me, success is less about reaching a particular title or milestone and more about doing meaningful work, continuing to grow, and building a life that feels fulfilling. I think staying curious, being willing to learn, and being persistent have helped me get where I am.”
Balancing Work with Motherhood
Adele is intentional about balancing her professional life with motherhood and protecting time to be fully present with her daughter.
“Even though our child is a baby, I think a lot about the foundation we’re creating for her. One thing motherhood has reinforced for me is how powerful our words are in shaping the way children see themselves and how much our words shape a child’s developing sense of self. I’m intentional about creating a compassionate and gentle home while still teaching boundaries and independence.”
To unwind, Adele enjoys reading, spending time with her family, hanging out and having a good laugh with her friends, cooking, and baking. “I love getting creative and trying new recipes.”
Community has always been integral to Adele’s life. She feels very fortunate to have grown up with a strong sense of family and community and she values the way people show up for one another. Adele wisely clarifies, “Everyone’s experience within a community is unique. To me, a strong community is one where there is room for different experiences and where people feel seen, supported, and included.”
Through her work as a therapist at SBH Counseling Center, Adele has had a positive impact on the mental health of our community’s individuals, families, and schools. “Mental health and supporting the community are meaningful to me and I’m grateful to be able to contribute professionally.”
What’s Next?
Adele is excited to be opening an office close to home. “I’m eager to create a warm, comfortable space where clients can feel at ease. I’m looking forward to having Rosie back in the therapeutic setting with me and incorporating AAT into my practice.”
Check out Adele’s website, www.adelesalemlcsw.com. Contact her through her website, call 732-508-0544, or email at [email protected].
Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach. Her coaching specialties include life, career, and dating coaching. Ellen can be contacted at [email protected] (http://www.lifecoachellen.com).