“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” – Audrey Hepburn
Erika is a Licensed Master Social Worker in New York State. Erika always knew that she would end up in a profession helping others. She started at Nassau Community College where she completed her Associates in Sociology, Anthropology and Human Services. This is where she grew to love helping others and began to become curious on how best to do that. Erika then continued her education by enrolling in and completing the accelerated hybrid Bachelors and Masters Molloy-Fordham Social Work program.
This is where Erika first heard of DBT therapy and began searching for jobs that utilized therapy to gain more experience. Erika has since fulfilled NYS requirements to gain licensure and is currently in training to sit for her clinical licensure by the end of 2022. Erika has worked in a multitude of settings, including a family shelter in the Bronx, a woman’s shelter in Suffolk County and a skilled nursing facility. Erika has provided individual therapy, family workshops and guided group meditations to individuals with a wide range of diagnosis, symptomatic behaviors and age groups ranging from 10 – 65+. During these experiences Erika would often look for ways to support clients, advocate for their needs and provide a safe space for them to express their thoughts and emotions.
It was working with these clients where Erika recognized they needed a more intensive type of care beyond talk therapy and she began searching for specialized therapies that recognized and addressed this. This is where she began to pursue employment with Suffolk DBT. Erika strongly values the diversity of clients and in providing a space where they can express themselves non-judgmentally. Erika welcomes individuals of all ages, genders, gender identities, races, ethnicities, sexual orientation, etc. Erika believes that a key component of therapy is building a rapport while providing a validating space for individuals to learn and grow.
She believes that with a supportive environment everyone can learn to have a better understanding of who they are, what their strengths are and how they can manage them to live a life worth living.
