Meet Erin Braden, LPC

---

Hi, I am Erin Braden! I understand how important the right fit is between therapist and client. I seek to build a safe and supportive space for growth and collaboration in our sessions. I believes that coping strategies serve a purpose. I strive to help you grow your repertoire of strategies to help you learn to rely on more functional methods to reduce and tolerate distress.  I use CBT, DBT, EMDR and Somatic tools to reduce your distress triggers and overall help you feel more emotionally balanced and whole.

As a therapist, I am open-minded and passionate about helping you through a lens of cultural awareness.  I was the the 2021-22 President of the Illinois Association for Multicultural Counseling. I keep in mind that you have your own unique cultural issues and beliefs.  It's not my goal to tell you what to think or how to live. I see it as my job to help you life the best life you can live within your own religious beliefs, your own cultural beliefs, and your own values. Not clear what your personal values are exactly? I can help you figure that out!

Sometimes in our work, you may decide to change your behavior to better reflect your own values. This is tough!  I find that other people often push back when we start to change. With my support, you can learn to live according to your own values, setting more effective boundaries, and getting unstuck from automatic ways of living that no longer serve you.

• Trauma (including complex trauma, sex abuse, physical abuse, combat trauma, 

   medical trauma, and community violence)

• Anxiety disorders, (including OCD and Social Anxiety Disorder)

• Mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorders

• Relationship issues 

• Codependency

• Emerging adult issues

• Intimacy Issues

• Attachment issues

• Autism spectrum issues for clients and families

• ADHD

• Career issues

What qualifies me to help you?  I completed my master’s degree in counseling at Northwestern University, with a concentration in Child and Adolescent therapy. Prior to that, I graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s of arts in Psychology.

I am fully trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), which is recommended for PTSD treatment by the Veterans Administration and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. I also completed over 130 hour s of training in Somatic Experiencing® including  Beginning Year I, II, and III, as well as Intermediate I, II and III of  Somatic Experiencing® training.  I love this type of therapy and I continue to take classes in somatic psychotherapy to increase my skills.  I am also trained in DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which helps me teach you coping skills like mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and effective communication.

I am certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid, CPR and Handle with Care. I am also fluent in conversational Spanish. As a yoga practitioner, I continues to grow in my yoga practice to help keep my own nervous system regulated.  I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, licensed in the state of Illinois and a Licensed Mental Health Associate, licensed by the state of Indiana.

Prior to joining RTPC, I completed an internship at a large group practice. I also worked as a graduate assistant at Northwestern University and as a Pediatric Behavior Therapist at a group practice specializing in treating clients on the Autism spectrum. I gained experience working with adult clients experiencing depression, anxiety and trauma in my past roles and in my work with clients at RTPC.

Illinois Licensed Professional Counselor: 178.016397

Indiana Licensed Mental Health Associate  88002324A