Erika holds both her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) from Florida State University and completed them in four years through FSU’s Advanced Standing Program. Erika’s BSW internship was with About You Counseling & Coaching, LLC in 2019. During this time, she worked closely with Michelle Rampone, attending individual, couple and family sessions with clients who primarily were struggling with ADD/ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Erika’s MSW field experience was at Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare. Here, Erika worked with diverse populations in the Nassau County area. She had the opportunity to meet with clients of all ages, genders, sexual orientations/preferences, mental health and/or substance use disorders, etc. through daily initial intake sessions and weekly group therapy.
Erika is passionate about working with children, adolescents, and families experiencing behavioral, emotional, and/or mood disorders. Her passion for mental health counseling was sparked by her own experiences. Erika was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder when she was approximately 13 years old. Prior to her diagnosis, she struggled keeping up in school. Erika’s inability to focus left her spending numerous hours working on homework assignments (that should have only taken her 30 minutes) and unable to pay attention in class. Erika felt isolated from her classmates, as she could not understand why she was struggling and her peers were not. Her teachers and other adults assumed that she was “lazy” or simply did not care enough about her grades to do the work. After learning more about ADHD and different ways to cope with the symptoms, Erika found that both her self-awareness and self-compassion improved greatly.
Erika promotes psychoeducation, which includes spreading awareness and knowledge about various mental health conditions and how they affect both the individual and those they interact with on a daily basis. She also provides CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients make positive changes in their, thinking and behavior. Erika enjoys teaching clients about ways to improve in various areas of their lives, such as organization, time-management, coping strategies, and study habits.
Erika believes in client self-determination and prioritizes her clients by adapting and combining therapeutic techniques in a way that best aligns with each individual’s specific needs and unique life experiences.
