A woman with dark skin, glasses, and long dreadlocks sitting on a blue sofa in a living room, smiling at the camera. There are yellow and blue pillows on the sofa and framed photos on the wall behind her. Sunlight is coming through a window with white curtains.

Hi, I’m Erica Ward, MPH, LCSW-QS, C-PD, CCATP, C-DBT, ADHD-CCSP

but you can just call me Erica.

I’ve been doing this work for over 13 years across medical and mental health settings. I’ve seen what happens when people feel misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or stuck in systems that don’t actually help.

My professional training shaped me — but so did my own life. I understand what it means to navigate stress, growth, setbacks, and starting over. That perspective keeps me grounded. It also keeps me human in this work.

I’m not a blank-slate therapist. I’m engaged. I’ll ask hard questions. I’ll point out patterns. I’ll explain what I’m seeing and why it matters. Therapy with me isn’t passive — it’s thoughtful and active.

I take clinical ethics seriously. I take skill seriously. I also believe meaningful work doesn’t require perfection — it requires honesty.

If you’re ready to do real work — not just talk about it — let’s begin.

  • I use structured, skills-based approaches when they’re helpful, but I don’t treat any model as universal.

    Much of traditional psychological theory was not built with marginalized communities in mind.

    My work considers culture, identity, and lived experience as central — not peripheral — to the process.

  • A lot of my clients arrive feeling emotionally overwhelmed, burnt out, or frustrated by reactions that feel disproportionate. Often, that’s emotional dysregulation — a valid and treatable experience.

    We work to understand emotional patterns, where they developed, and how to regulate in ways that are realistic and sustainable. Not performative. Not surface-level. Practical and grounded.

  • I’m direct, honest, and engaged in sessions. Therapy here isn’t passive. We identify what’s happening, explore why it’s happening, and develop strategies that move things forward.

    Clients often appreciate that I’m transparent in how I think. You’ll hear my observations. You’ll understand the framework guiding the work. The goal is clarity — not confusion.

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    • Master of Social Work, Florida State University

    • Master of Public Health, Columbia Southern University

    • Bachelor of Science in Food & Nutrition Science, Florida State University

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Florida

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Connecticut

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Texas

    Certified Personality Disorder Treatment Provider (C-PD)

    Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Provider (CCATP)

    Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapy Provider (C-DBT)

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

    • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

    • Structured diagnostic interviewing and psychological assessment tools

    • Trauma-informed care practices

    • Personality disorder treatment frameworks

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