Meet Sara Gilman

Sara Gilman, MFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (since 1986), having graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from California State University at Fullerton. She has been in private practice for over 25 years specializing in the areas of substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and performance enhancement for business professionals, athletes, and other high performers.

Ms. Gilman is a board certified expert in traumatic stress and has obtained the highest honor—fellowship status from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She is also a Certified Eye Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist, certified coach, master practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and master hypnotherapist. This board certified professional in forensic traumatology has testified as an expert witness and treating therapist in numerous cases involving trauma and PTSD.

In addition to these credentials, Ms. Gilman served for eight years as an appointed member (by the Governor of California) on the Medical Board’s Drug Diversion Committee for Impaired Physicians. She was later elected to the EMDR International Association Board of Directors, where she served as President in 2010. She was one of the principle investigators of a research study where she helped develop and implement an integrated trauma treatment program in a drug court (Brown, Gilman, Goodman, 2011 Prepublication).

She has spent thousands of hours treating those who suffer from trauma and substance abuse, educating them, their families, and the community on how to live and recover with hope.

Working with athletes, performers, and business professionals, has become the fastest growing aspect of her business. National champion gymnasts, ice skaters, golfers, martial artists, tennis players, cyclists and triathletes have sought her out to enhance their peak performance, as well as business owners and corporate executives who also rely on peak performance in their careers.

Besides her passion for her work she enjoys the martial arts, where she has achieved the honor of first-degree black belt and won first place in sparring in the 2001 National Championship. She also enjoys riding her bike along the beautiful San Diego coastline while triathlon training, completing a Half Ironman race in 2008.

Education

• Masters of Science Degree, California State University, Fullerton, Magna Cum Laude
• Bachelors of Science, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Summa Cum Laude

Memberships & Certifications

• California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Marriage & Family Therapist (Lic. MH21586)
• California Association of Marriage & Family Therapist, Clinical Member
• California Drug Diversion Program for Physicians, Former Committee Member
• Fellow, American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (AAETS)
• Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (AAETS)
• Board Certified Expert in Forensic Traumatology (AAETS)
• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing International Association (EMDRIA), Member
• EMDR Certified Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant
• American Board of Hypnotherapy, Member
• Advanced Neuro Dynamics, Master Hypnotherapist
• Advanced Neuro Dynamics, Master Practitioner, Neuro-Linguistic Programming