About Erica

I want to hear your story.

… even if you can’t quite describe in words what you’ve been through. Even if you’re not sure you need or deserve to spend the time and money on yourself in this way, I’m here to help you figure that out.

I’m a collaborative, down-to-earth, anti-oppressive art therapist and licensed counselor. I help motivated folks understand, unlearn, and heal from toxic relationships and dysfunctional families, end people pleasing and other codependent behaviors, and challenge white body supremacy and other oppressive systems.

I believe in your wisdom.

Throughout your life, you may have been given messages that you can’t trust your instincts, your beliefs, or even your actual experiences. On top of that, traditional therapy is rooted in oppressive systems that tell us a therapist should have all the answers that will “fix you.” I’m guilty of believing this for some of my life as well. Through my own therapy experiences I can tell you with certainty that all of that is untrue.

In therapy with me, we'll validate the experiences you’ve been through and explore the self wisdom you have acquired over your lifetime. However, some of the things we come to believe about ourselves have become distorted by toxic people and toxic systems. Because of this, we’ll look at new ways of understanding your past and present which may make you challenge your assumptions about yourself and about the world.

Therapy with me is collaboration, not “treatment.”

I’ve been there too.

In addition to having 15 years of experience working in the mental health field, I am also a recovering ‘people pleaser.’ I’ve worked through a lot of shame and healed from relationships and experiences that kept me silent. Through my own personal therapy, artmaking, education, and community weaving, I am continuing to heal from the impact of relationships and oppressive systems that have affected me negatively over my lifetime.

My personal struggles with mental health are not separate from the (unwanted) legacy I carry as a white woman. I am deeply involved in doing my own work unlearning white supremacy culture, practicing embodied antiracism, and cultivating community. I’m committed to this life-long process, and am also dedicated to helping others recognize and disrupt racism and other oppressive systems in their own lives.

I can imagine some of the angst and loneliness that has brought you here today, and the courage and stamina you’ve needed to keep clicking around. This is all hard work, and once you begin (or restart) therapy, I also know firsthand the possibilities of connection, joy, and lightness you can experience that you never knew existed.

Not sure yet if I’m the therapist for you?

Here are some areas I’ve had experience with helping people mange:

  • Grief, related to losses such as death, loss of dreams, relationship losses, etc

  • Effects of being an adult child of emotionally immature parents

  • Trauma, including PTSD, Complex trauma (C-PTSD), developmental/relational trauma, and racial trauma

  • Anxiety

  • Neurodiversity, including ADHD, Autism, and giftedness

  • Difficult life transitions

  • Parenting challenges

  • Postpartum anxiety and depression

Experience & Education

Relevant Experience

Degrees

  • Master’s Degree in Creative Arts in Therapy earned from Drexel University in 2009

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, with a major in Metals and Jewelry, earned from Arcadia University in 2006

  • Bachelor’s Degree in the Arts, with a concentration in Pre-Art Therapy earned from Arcadia University in 2005

What informs my approach in therapy

  • Art Therapy and creative expression

  • Trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care

  • Social justice and anti-oppressive practices

  • Psychodynamic or depth psychology

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Mindfulness

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Community Membership

Licenses and Board Certifications

  • Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor #PC006898

  • ATCB Board Certified Art Therapist #12-069

Finding a therapist is tough.

It takes a lot of vulnerability to reach out and see if a new therapist is right for you.

No strings here- schedule a free 15 minute consultation via phone or video chat to see if we’re a good fit.

In our conversation, we will briefly go over your reasons for seeking therapy, and you'll be able to ask any questions you have. We'll begin to get to know each other so you can get a sense of what working with me would be like.