GA Lic. #001664
CA Lic. #45245
818-489-4246
ABOUT ERIN
Erin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been working in the field of mental health since 2002. She received a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles in 2005 and obtained her MFT license in 2007.
Erin has extensive training and clinical experience treating eating disorders at inpatient, day treatment, and outpatient levels of care. She is a founding member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, Los Angeles Chapter and also served as a board member for 8 years. Erin was a Board of Behavioral Science (BBS) approved supervisor for interns in California. In addition, she holds an advanced certification in Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) and maintains training in applied kinesiology, meridian pathways and correlated emotions, acupressure points, and energy psychology.
Erin specializes in eating disorders, anxiety, depression, trauma, stress reduction, mind-body integration, self acceptance and overall personal growth. She owned a private practice in Los Angeles, CA up until 2017, when she relocated to the Atlanta area. Erin is licensed in California and Georgia.
THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
"People start to heal the moment they feel heard."
You are important and your story is important. I believe in working to find qualities of health and strength in each person I meet. I don’t believe it is useful, effective or accurate to use labels such as “self-sabotaging” or “self-defeating” when looking at symptoms and emotional, behavioral and relational patterns. You are not damaged, broken, or someone that needs to be fixed. At certain points throughout life, response patterns develop that help us survive and navigate life. Sometimes these patterns give us strength and help us thrive, and other times they help for a while and then begin to greatly limit our quality of life, creating more distress and "dis-ease" in our mind and body. It is essential to identify and understand that these patterns have a function and a purpose in your life, whether it be to provide self protection, a response to stress, anxiety, or trauma or creative attempts at meeting your emotional needs, such as love, approval, acceptance, safety or emotional regulation.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin
Through the development of self understanding, building internal resiliency, and nurturing a growth mindset, we collaborate to identify new and more effective ways to meet your needs. You determine what healing and health means to you and for your life.
Each person is unique in their therapeutic needs and goals. My role as a therapist is to listen to your story and collaborate with you on providing the most effective approach.
My therapeutic approach includes the following modalities:
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Attachment Theory
Solution Focused Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (skills to develop mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation)
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MBCBT)
Neuro Emotional Technique (mind/body stress reduction therapy)
Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping)
I provide a unique and individualized treatment experience for each person.
Beginning therapy and investing in yourself is a significant step and one that needs to be honored. I bring compassion, curiosity, and directness into the therapeutic relationship. I look forward to working with you!
EATING DISORDERS
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I treat individuals of all ages experiencing Anorexia, Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder, as well as individuals wanting to challenge and shift a diet mentality and unrealistic and oppressive health and beauty expectations. Eating disorder and Self recovery is a "whole-person" journey of repairing your relationship with yourself, your body, food and the world around you. Together, we examine the biological, psychological, environmental/social and spiritual factors that play a role in the development and maintenance of eating disorder thoughts, feelings, eating and behavior patterns and other symptoms. The therapeutic focus is not just to reduce these symptoms, but to truly understand the root causes of how and why the eating disorder developed and what purpose and function it serves in your life. I believe that full recovery is possible.
"You are not meant to be perfect. You are meant to be real."
Body type: Myself
My therapeutic approach utilizes evidence based treatment modalities that I have seen effective in my clinical practice:
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Motivational Interviewing
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Intuitive Eating and Exercise principles
Health At Every Size principles (HAES)
Mind-Body interventions
NEURO EMOTIONAL TECHNIQUE
"The body is the unconscious mind."
-Candace Pert, Ph.D.
Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) is a cutting-edge mind-body stress reduction technique that finds and removes neurological blockages and imbalances related to unresolved stress, trauma or emotions. Unresolved emotional and physical stress can result in many symptoms. NET is able to address:
Repetition compulsion of emotional, mental, behavioral and relational patterns
Fight-Flight-Freeze-Collapse response patterns
Phobias and fears
Anxiety (general and related to: school, sports, job, performance, relationships, etc.)
Depression
Creative and performance blocks
Headaches
Stomachaches and digestive issues
Body pain and chronic injuries
Lowered immune response due to stress
Brain fog
Organ dysfunction
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
-Viktor Frankl
NET utilizes applied kinesiology (muscle testing), the elemental meridian systems from Traditional Chinese Medicine, along with specific acupressure points to help resolve these blocks and restore emotional balance, energetic flow and vitality in the body. By working directly with the emotional brain (limbic system) and subconscious mind, this technique identifies the core emotional blocks and patterns that impact the individual's quality of life. Current published research shows a dramatic reduction in the brain's response to trauma after using NET as a therapeutic intervention (see NET research section below). Neuro Emotional Technique is a comprehensive "whole person" approach to health by identifying emotions, nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxins, and structural issues that contribute to disease and "dis-ease" in the body and mind. It is a powerful holistic complement to psychotherapy, nutritional and Chiropractic care. I am able to provide referrals to local Chiropractic doctors specializing in Functional Neurology and Functional Medicine.
I hold a Level III Advanced Certification in Neuro Emotional Technique.
“A memory without the emotional charge is called wisdom.”
-Joe Dispenza
Read further about NET and watch NET in action
Scientific validation of NET and current published research
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or Tapping is a natural stress reduction tool. It is a simple, fun, and powerful way to help kids, adolescents and adults reduce intense emotional responses and improve focus, concentration, and a feeling of calm in their mind and body. EFT can help anyone recognize when thoughts, feelings or sensations in their body become too intense, too stressful and too overwhelming. Through tapping, breathing and saying positive affirmations, individuals are able to rewire responses and calm their brain and body’s stress reactions.
How does it work?
When we experience intense emotions, bad memories or stressful situations, a part of our brain called the amygdala is activated. The amygdala is located in our limbic system (emotional brain) and controls the body’s fight/flight/freeze/collapse response. When we experience overwhelming stress that is beyond our window of tolerance, the amygdala is activated and our rational brain (thinking, planning, problem solving, organizing, etc) goes “off-line.” As a result, it becomes very challenging to concentrate, think of solutions, focus, maintain sustained attention, and regulate emotions. First, we need to calm our body and then our rational brain is able to come back “online.” Our thinking brain and feeling body need to work together!
EFT uses the body’s meridian pathways (“energy highways”) and acupressure points along these pathways in a specific sequence to calm the nervous system and send a calming signal to the amygdala (“I’m ok, everything is ok”). By focusing on the emotional or physical stressor and then activating these points through tapping, breathing, and a positive statement, the body is able to release energy blocks and calm the emotional brain, allowing a balanced and strengthened mind-body connection.
What does the fight/flight/freeze/collapse stress response look like?
verbal or physical aggression
easily frustrated
overly sensitive to feedback
emotions and behavior escalate quickly
avoiding or taking a long time to start work/homework or a task
difficulty making a decision
stomachaches, headaches, fatigue
loss of appetite
eating when not hungry to soothe feelings
feeling confused or foggy
chronically biting nails or picking skin
anxiously twirling hair
anxious, tearful, worried, scared or freeze response when needing to perform
mood swings
difficulty retaining information
difficulty listening to instructions/directions when expressed clearly
short term memory issues
shutting down/withdrawal/isolation
Watch Erin demonstrate the EFT tapping sequence
Links for more information:
EFT to help with school stress
EFT to improve athletic performance
EFT for bad dreams and nightmares
Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology
NET RESEARCH
The ONE Research Foundation is a non-profit organization that funds research for NET. The most recent publication is "Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) Reduces Symptoms of Traumatic Stress in Cancer Survivors"
The study focuses on 23 cancer patients who had distressing cancer-related experiences that caused traumatic stress. Some received NET and others were waitlisted to a control. All patients received a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while listening to the story of their distressing cancer memory before and after NET.
The scans after NET (as seen in the photo) display a dramatic reduction in the brain's response to trauma, validating the powerful effects of NET on the brain.
“The results of the study were really quite dramatic. In just four to five brief sessions, patients who received NET reported much less distress, their overall emotional state improved significantly and the way their brains reacted to stress cues normalized.”
— Monti, D.A., Tobia, A., Stoner, M. et al. “Neuro-emotional technique effects on brain physiology in cancer patients with traumatic stress symptoms: preliminary findings.” J Cancer Surviv (2017). doi:10.1007/s11764-017-0601-8.
Source: ONE Research Foundation
OFFICE INFORMATION
Sessions typically occur one time a week, however some people may need to schedule more or less frequent, as clinically appropriate. Sessions are 60 minutes. 90 minutes sessions are available as well. I am licensed in California and Georgia and am able to provide phone and Telehealth (video) sessions to individuals living in both states.
Fee:
$175 per 60 minute session
75 or 90 minute sessions available upon request
Payment:
I can accept cash, check, or credit card via Square, Venmo or PayPal. Payment is due at the time of session.
Insurance:
If you would like to use your insurance, please note that I am not in network with any insurance companies. I am able to provide a superbill for you to submit for out of network mental health benefits and reimbursement. The session fee is due at the time of session and I will complete an insurance claim form for you to mail into your insurance. Most PPO insurance companies do reimburse a portion of the session fee and this amount, depending on your out of network mental health benefits, will be mailed to you.
Please note that in order to submit an insurance claim, I will need to provide a mental health diagnosis that will be part of your medical record.
Cancellation Policy:
I require a 24 hour cancellation notice. The full session fee will be charged if 24 hour notice is not given.
I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!
HELPFUL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
BOOKS AND WEBSITES
Eating Disorders and Body Image:
8 Keys To Recovery From An Eating Disorder--Carolyn Costin, MFT and Gwen Schubert Grabb, MFT
Your Dieting Daughter--Carolyn Costin, MFT
Eating in the Light of the Moon--Anita Johnston, PhD
Surviving An Eating Disorder Strategies for Family and Friends--Michele Siegel, Ph.D., Judith Brisman, Ph.D., Margot Weinshel, MSW
Father Hunger--Margo Maine, Ph.D.
Sensing The Self--Sheila M. Reindl
Body Wars--Margo Maine, Ph.D.
The Body Project--Joan Jacobs Brumberg
Intuitive Eating--Evelyn Tribole, R.D. and Elyse Resch, R.D.
Answers to Anorexia--James M. Greenblatt, MD
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
www.sizediversityandhealth.org
Stress, Disease, Mind-Body Connection:
The Body Keeps the Score--Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
Waking The Tiger--Peter Levine, PhD
When the Body Says NO-Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection--Gabor Mate, MD
Anatomy of the Spirit--Carolyn Myss, Ph.D.
Energy Medicine for Women--Donna Eden
Nurturing Relationships with Your Children:
Parenting From the Inside Out--Daniel Siegel, MD
The Whole Brain Child--Daniel Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
No Drama Discipline--Daniel Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.d
Hold Onto Your Kids--Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D. and Gabor Mate, MD
Punished by Rewards--Alfie Kohn
Unconditional Parenting--Alfie Kohn
The Parent's Tao Te Ching--William Martin
PANDAS and PANS:
PANS, CANS, and Automobiles--Jamie Candelaria Greene, Ph.D., BCET
Teaching the Tiger--Marilyn P. Dornbush, Ph.D. and Sheryl K. Pruitt, M.Ed.
CONTACT ME
Roswell, GA 30075
Serving areas: Roswell, East Cobb, Marietta, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Milton, Cumming, Johns Creek, Woodstock, Canton, Atlanta area and more
Telehealth sessions available for individuals living in Georgia and California.
818-489-4246
