ABOUT

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It’s my passion to help women and non binary folx like you.

to feel confident and self-assured.

to say goodbye to self-doubt and hello to self-love

so that they can live a life they love

Therapy with Tailwinds Counseling can help get you there.

About

Hi, I’m Erika. But this is about you, not me.

I help women who find themselves putting everyone else’s needs before their own go from feeling anxious and afraid of letting people get to know the real them to feeling comfortable, self-assured, valued and confident in their relationships. My mission is to empower women to show up, be heard, and get what they want. I am passionate about helping women get in touch with the strength that was always there so that they can live life confidently, authentically without apologies.

Choosing a therapist can be an overwhelming task. And let’s face it; you’re looking for a therapist because you’re already overwhelmed. There are so many of us, you’ll be vulnerable, and you don’t want to tell your story over and over to a bunch of different people until you find the right fit. Or worse yet, stick it out with a therapist that doesn’t fit. I don’t want that either, so I hope this will help you decide if we’ll work well together.

I’m direct because I want you to succeed. If you’re looking for someone to smile and nod, we probably won’t work well together. But, if you’re ready to be challenged, to dive into what’s really going on, and to work to make some changes, we might be a good fit. You can schedule a free 15-minute phone call with me to truly decide.

Credentials

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas. I earned my Master’s in Social Work from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida in 2010. I have been in practice ever since, working at psychiatric hospitals and MD Anderson Cancer Center providing counseling both in- and outpatient for a whole host of issues including anxiety, depression, major mental illness, and cancer-related concerns. If you’re afraid your problems are so bad, you’ll scare me, think again. I’m difficult to shock. I’m difficult to shock, so don’t worry that I’ll be upset or bothered by what we cover in session. I use a variety of evidence-based practices based on each individual’s needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here.

What makes Tailwinds counseling different

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Interactive

I won’t just sit around, making hmm sounds or stare at the clock. I will point out the things that are keeping you stuck and make a real plan with you so that you can make real, lasting change.

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What?! I have Homework?

Yes! We only spend one hour together a week. I want you to do the work in your life, too. Where the anxiety and stress impacts you the most, with homework it’s helping you enforce taking and making time to sit and work it out.

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Goal tracking and accountability

You can make progress faster by staying connected. I use an app to assign homework and reminders so that you can make progress in between sessions.

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care coordination

If you’re seeing another healer (doctor, psychiatrist, life coach, etc) I send regular updates* on your progress to ensure you get the best results possible.

(*with you written consent)

HOW This WORKs

LET'S START A CONVERSATION

Schedule a free 15-minute phone call so we can get acquainted. When you schedule your consultation call, you'll receive an email linking you to a brief consultation screening form that will help us make the best use of our time. On the call, I'll ask what you're looking for help with, explain how I work and what you can expect from me, you can ask your questions and we can get you scheduled for an appointment when we agree it's a good fit. And if it's not, I'll try my best to point you in the right direction.

THE FIRST SESSION

After we schedule your first session, you'll receive access to the client portal where you can read about my practice policies and complete the intake paperwork that will help us get started. During our first session, we'll get to know each other, build a therapeutic alliance, and get on the same page about your goals and how best to achieve them. Not sure what to talk about? No worries. During that first 80-minute session, I'll be asking a lot of questions.

WE MAKE A PLAN

You are the expert on your life and experience. Together, we'll collaborate using your expertise and mine to create a plan that suits your treatment and journey.

WE DO THE WORK

Ongoing sessions are 45 - 50 minutes and typically occur weekly to start. We'll get in there and do the work to get you where you want to be. You can always expect homework. Sometimes written, sometimes not, but either way, it's important you do the work outside of session to get to where you want to be.

WE ADJUST AND ADAPT

Sometimes things don't go according to plan. Or maybe things go so well and there's a new path the take. Flexibility is a key part of the process.

YOU GRADUATE

My goal is always to work myself out of a job. I don't want my clients to need me forever; I want you to develop the skills and tools you need to confront whatever challenges lie ahead. As we see progress, we'll discuss a graduation plan. Sometimes that looks like reducing the frequency for a few sessions before stopping therapy. Sometimes it's one graduation session one month after the last weekly PTSD therapy session to summarize and troubleshoot. In any case, we'll collaborate to determine the best graduation strategy for you.