Meet Estelle Schmaltz, LMFT — Trauma-Informed Therapist in Cedar Rapids and Across Iowa
Roots hold on through storms. Plants find a way through rock. Growth is rarely tidy, but it is always possible. That belief sits at the center of how I work with every adult who reaches out.
Why I do this work
I’m Estelle Schmaltz, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the owner of Rooted For Growth Counseling PLLC. I work with adults who are carrying things that started long before today — a childhood that asked too much of them, a parent who couldn’t show up, a relationship pattern that keeps repeating no matter how hard they try.
Many of the people I see are high-functioning on the outside. They hold jobs, care for others, and keep things running — while quietly feeling anxious, ashamed, or disconnected underneath. If that sounds familiar, you are not broken. The ways you learned to cope made sense for what you lived through. Therapy is a chance to decide which of them you still need.
My hope for every client is simple: to live more fully — with more freedom, more steadiness, and more room to be who you actually are.
How I approach therapy
Therapy with me is not about telling you what to do or rushing you through a process. It rests on a few things I hold to with every client.
Trauma-informed
Safety comes first. We move at a pace your nervous system can handle, and nothing gets opened before you are ready to hold it.
Systemic and relational
My training as a marriage and family therapist means I look at the whole picture — the family you grew up in, the relationships you are in now, and how they shape each other.
Collaborative and holistic
You are the expert on your own life. We set goals together, and the work pays attention to your body, relationships, and sense of meaning — not just symptoms.
In person in Cedar Rapids, available statewide
My office is at 2720 A Avenue NE, Suite 201, in Cedar Rapids. Many of my clients live in and around Cedar Rapids and Marion — in communities like Hiawatha, Robins, Mount Vernon, and Iowa City — and in-person sessions are available for anyone who prefers to meet face to face.
Telehealth by secure video is also available to adults anywhere in Iowa — whether you are in Des Moines, Dubuque, or a small town an hour from the nearest therapist. It lets you skip the drive and the waiting room and meet from a private, comfortable place. You are welcome to choose whichever format feels right for you.
Rooted For Growth Counseling PLLC is in-network with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. I am credentialing with other insurance plans, so please inquire about insurance options when you reach out. Private pay is also available.
Ready to see if we are a good fit?
The contact form takes about five minutes, and I reply within one to two business days. It is a first step, not a commitment.
Adults · Trauma · Relationships · Life transitions — Live more fully
In-person in Cedar Rapids and telehealth across Iowa · In-network with Wellmark
Rooted For Growth is not a crisis service. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.