Welcome! It takes a lot of courage and strength to seek therapy , you should feel proud of yourself for taking the first step in reaching out. My name is Erica Holtz, M.A., LMFT and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Supervisor. I also have a Certificate in Child Sexual Abuse Treatment from Widener University. I graduated from La Salle University in 2007 after a year long internship at a family therapy agency in Philadelphia, where I continue to assist in training other therapists and interns. I also am an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, which means the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy required me to do an extensive training program to be able to supervise therapists who want to be licensed to practice marriage and family therapy. My therapeutic approach is based in Systems Theory, which is the basis for couples and family therapy. Systems theory differs from purely individual therapy models in that all affected parties are included in therapy, whether they are present in the sessions or not. This means there is a focus on the family relationships you had as a child and how they have affected current relationship issues. It focuses on patterns of behavior between people, and what is happening between people that maintains the problems. The first choice is to Include all parties affected in the problem (s) because it helps enhance the quality of relationships and create positive lasting changes often at a more rapid pace. However, I have done systemic work with individuals with great progress. My goal is to help individuals, families and couples who are struggling with painful emotions, distressing relationship problems and who feel “stuck”, confused or frustrated with their current life situation. I specialize in couples therapy, working with various types of families and working with individuals with trauma histories. I also work well with families who have a member with Autism. My therapeutic style is adaptable as well as empathetic . I often use humor and authenticity in my approach with clients, which allows the therapeutic relationship to grow and evolve by creating emotional safety from a “real” person. I have also been a client before, so I know what it is like to enter the therapy room feeling anxious, unsure, and vulnerable. I look forward to working with you and creating lasting change and growth!