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"You are who you say you are. When you start believing that, you'll stop letting others define you". 

Hey, I'm Erika! 
I help women shed who they've always been so they can embrace who they are becoming.

Erika Michelle Cherry Therapist Life Coach podcast host author speaker workshop presenter-
Erika Michelle Cherry Therapist Life Coach podcast host author speaker workshop presenter-

My Philosophy

Therapy Types & Modalities

Our identities are sitting at the intersection of familial, cultural, and societal narratives that we didn’t write. As women, we are often charged with playing the less dominant role in many of these narratives. Everyday women are taking on more powerful roles in  professional and personal lives, but the messages received from more dominant patriarchal narratives have already been internalized. Thus, dictating how we see ourselves and the world around us. When those narratives, ideas, or beliefs are in conflict with new narratives we are trying to construct, we sometimes feel the tension in the form of anxiety, fear, resentment, confusion, sadness, overwhelm, or burnout. Not knowing how to free ourselves, the response is often more work, more responsibility, more pretending, more avoiding, another degree, a new this or that - anything that numbs us to the ensuing battle happening in our bodies. 

 

I believe that as women we inherently possess a power that, across time and generations, has been diminished or suppressed. My ultimate goal is to help other women, especially women of color, reignite their power, and free themselves from internalized messages associated with patriarchy, racism, misogyny, sexism... basically any story that tells them they are too much of one thing, or not enough of something else. I want them to feel empowered to write their own narratives of unrelenting higher standards; of winning emotional battles with dignity, strength, and agility; of purpose and value driven leadership and impact; of intentionally defined healing and wellness; and of unwavering confidence and empowerment.

How I can help

Everything you need to rewrite your narrative and discover your authentic voice is already inside of you. My job is to guide you on a journey of personal discovery that uses awareness and curiosity as tools to explore the stories, ideas, beliefs, and behaviors keeping you from stepping into YOUR BEAUTIFUL BECOMING.

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Feminist Therapy

  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

  • Psychodynamic

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Expertise

  • Wellness /Personal development

  • Life Transitions

  • High Functioning Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Trauma

  • Grief & Loss

  • Interpersonal Concerns

Questions?

  • What Insurance do you accept?
    Short answer: I do not accept insurance as a form of payment. Longer answer: While I am considered "out of network" with insurance companies, I can provide a Superbill (an invoice that includes medical billing codes for services rendered) for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please note that The Federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires insurers to cover mental health services at similar rates and under similar criteria to physical health issues. However, many disparities still exist. When submitting a superbill for reimbursement, I encourage you to contact your insurance carrier or review your explanation of benefits to get an understanding of your covered benefits (i.e. reimbursement rates) prior to initiating treatment. I cannot guarantee reimbursement, or the reimbursement rate by your insurance carrier. I encourage you to contact your insurance carrier to ask pertinent questions like: ​ Is telehealth/ video therapy a covered service*? How many sessions am I covered for? What is the reimbursement rate**? What information do I need to have on the superbill to be guaranteed reimbursement? Are there any restrictions or limits to reimbursement? ​ Reimbursement rates may vary by insurance carrier and benefit plan. If your plan changes while receiving service, it is your responsibility to be aware of what those changes are. I do not lower my rates to match your insurance reimbursement rate. I cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement.
  • Why do you only accept self-pay patients?
    Whew Chile... Thats a whole TEA! But here’s a short version: Unfortunately, insurance companies do not value mental health services in the same way as physical health services. Meaning, the reimbursement rate is often not enough to be considered a living wage. In order for me to continue providing the specialized care I provide to my clients, I had to step away from the system that was devaluing my services, and ultimately deeming the care of my clients unnecessary (or in their terms, "fails to meet medical necessity"). *Side Rant - I treat high performing women whose symptoms of high functioning depression and anxiety often look different than what the DSM5 list as necessary criteria. This is especially true for Black Women, and other women of color who often don't have the luxury of "being depressed". Accepting insurance as a form of payment for mental health service is a personal choice of each clinician. I have opted out of this choice because it means I have to define my clients by standards that were not written with them in mind, and subject their lived experience to scrutiny of a system that ultimately is not concerned about their care. With that being said, I do provide a superbill for clients to possibly get reimbursed from their insurance carriers. Just because I won’t file the claim, doesn’t mean I want to keep clients from using their benefit. Please read the previous FAQ for more information on superbills and reimbursement.
  • Can you be my Therapist and My Coach? 
    Short answer is NO. A longer answer is : I do have various skill sets that I will obviously use when supporting clients regardless of the role I play. However, the client/clinician/therapeutic relationship is governed by laws and regulations differently than a client/coach/ relationship. I only provide therapy in the state of Washington. Prospective clients within Washington State will have an opportunity to decide which service is best for them after an initial consultation. Any prospective clients outside of Washington State should only consider coaching, or consulting services from me.
  • Where did you go to school and stuff like that?
    I graduated from the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) as a "non-traditional" student - a politically correct way to say I was the oldest in my class - with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. I was 32 at the time, and a single mama of 3 boys. My goal was to finish school before my oldest son graduated high school... DID THAT! ​ That experience didn't kill me, and my son hadn't yet graduated, so I set a new goal to complete a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from the same university... DID THAT TOO! Since then, I've set new goals that have accumulated to over a decade of clinical mental health experience by providing services to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families in various settings (community health establishments, schools, psychiatric facilities, detention facilities, corporate and non-profit organizations, planes, trains, automobiles, and now private practice).
  • Are workshops, courses, or programs  replacements for therapy? 
    No. While I am a licensed mental health counselor, being enrolled in workshops, courses, or cohorts of any kind is not therapy. Those services are great supports to your current therapeutic care, however they are not considered a medical/health service by my licensing board or your insurance company (meaning you will not likely be reimbursed for them if you decide to submit a claim). Coaching and Consulting are also not considered Healthcare and will not be reimbursed by insurance companies.

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