Mary Shuffleton
November 25, 2020Dale Sorg
November 25, 2022Erika is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who offers treatment and support to adolescents and adults who present with various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and those who struggle with emotion regulation and tolerating discomfort. Erika believes “all clients want to lead a happier life but may not always know how to achieve a life worth living.” Erika and her clients “address behaviors that interfere with goals,” and together, they “create effective ways to address them.” Erika creates a therapeutic environment that is both validating and compassionate, both of which are necessary to promote acceptance and positive change. In many cases, Erika’s clients have a history of unsuccessful treatments elsewhere and often present with a history of prior hospitalizations. Her clients struggle with self-harming behaviors, substance use, and/or suicidal ideation. Erika also supports couples and families seeking a more balanced family dynamic. Erika finds that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been most effective at providing her clients an opportunity for positive change while simultaneously providing them with a life worth living. She provides individual and group treatment with a DBT skill development focus.
Erika received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Tech and her Master’s in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.
In addition to her time at In Step, Erika enjoys spending time in the great outdoors with her husband and three children. She is also an avid triathlons/ironman competitor.