Coaching is more centered on the future. You are learning a set of skills to help you get to where you want to be. Think like a sports coach but for mental wellbeing. What sets Erica apart from other coaches is that she is trauma-informed and trauma-trained so that she is able to discern when therapy might be warranted. She is also able to incorporate nutrition, mindfulness, movement, hormone education, and much more. Coaching can be a great adjunct to therapy, at times, and is usually short term. More importantly, you meet less frequently than therapy and it has a finite amount of sessions. While you can learn these skills in therapy, too, therapy adds in another layer of emotional processing that usually entails a past trauma(s) that has not been resolved. Therapy is also conducted by someone who went to a nationally accredited program, had to pass a licensing exam and is required to get continuing education.

Besides understanding where you are because I've been there, too, I have almost two decades worth of professional experience in the Mental Health Field. I share knowledge from my time as an Adjunct Lecturer where I taught Human Development, Intergenerational Family Processes, Dysfunctional Family Processes, and Couples Therapy. I was a Clinical Professor who supervised upcoming therapists on the skillsets on how to be a therapist. Plus, my insights from when I was a Clinical Director and Psychotherapist. I've worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice System, the Public School System, and two non-profit Children Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics regulated by the Department of Children and Families. Today, I work with high-achieving adults looking to improve their quality of life so they can stress better, live better, and feel better. In addition, I bring training and certifications from the holistic side of wellness: Integrative Mental Health Professional, Reiki Master, Essential Oils Wellness Advocate, and Meditation Facilitator. I wasn't always in the mental health field. I have had 10 careers. With having a business undergrad degree, I have several years of experience in sales, recruiting, and middle-management positions. Not to mention, I've worked in the bar/restaurant industry for almost 18 years, from server, cocktail waitress, bartender, trainer, shift supervisor, and DJ.

Being trauma-informed means that Erica takes someone's current situation into context, understanding that their behaviors have served a purpose at one point. Those behaviors that once helped you navigate life are now hindering your ability to be successful. As a result, it's time to find a new way to thrive. Trauma trained means Erica has specific training in evidence-based trauma modalities and how trauma affects the mind and body.

An integrative approach is focused on the mind, body, and spirit connection. It gets to the "root" of the issue, beyond a diagnosis. A diagnosis only tells us the symptoms; it doesn't tell us WHY the symptoms are there. It looks at the entire person, not just the mind when understanding how to help someone optimize their mental wellness. This means it considers the way a person's gut microbiome, nervous system, lifestyle, hormones, trauma history, community, relationships, and mindset are currently affecting them. You are not just talking about the stressors, analyzing the past, and having medicine prescribe as your "only" answer. You're making fundamental changes so that you walk away with the knowledge of how to live a life filled with optimal mental wellness. You will feel empowered to know you have control over your life and that you're not destined to have a diagnosis forever. **This approach works great with trauma-informed therapies, functional/naturopathic medicine, and other holistic modalities

My Education & Certifications​: B.A. in Communications & Business Admin. from CCSU (2005, 4 years) M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from CCSU (2009, 62-credits, 3 years, 4.0 GPA) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2014 Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP) - (2021, 32 CEU's with annual renewal) Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1 Certificate (2017, 1 year, 114 CEUs) Trauma Research Foundation's Traumatic Stress Studies Certificate - includes courses in Neurobiology of Trauma (2021, 7 months, 71.5 CEUs) Certified Reiki Level 1 & 2 and Reiki Master (2015, 2016 and 2017) Enhance Your Intuition Certificate (2018, 6 months) Additional extensive post-graduate training sessions: (6) Polyvagal Theory from Dr. Stephen Porges & Deb Dana, LCSW (5) Somatic Experiencing with Dr. Peter Levine Understanding the Gut Brain: Stress, Appetite, Digestion, and Mood Neuroscience & Yoga in the treatment for Complex, Developmental and Repeated Trauma Tapping/Emotional Freedom Technique Racial Trauma and Identity (A Focused DBT Perspective) with Eboni Webb, PsyD, HSP The Roles Intersectionality & Cultural Humility Play When Working with Diverse Client Populations with Gary Bailey, MSW, ACSW Plus, I've been trained in several evidence-based models of psychotherapy over 10+ years as a practicing psychotherapist. Motivational Interviewing (MI) Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Forensic Cognitive Behavioral therapy (F-CBT) Risking Connections Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT)

For the purpose here, the terms are interchangeable.​ Both words mean that they take the whole individual (mind, body, spirit) into account and not just focus on one part (i.e., the mind).