Emily P.G. Erickson is a freelance writer and editor specializing in mental health and parenting. Her writing has appeared in top digital outlets, including The New York Times, the American Psychological Association, Wired, Parents, Health, Everyday Health, Romper, and more.
Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and geography and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. Her graduate training included a psychotherapy practicum at a community mental health clinic where she provided mental health therapy to children, adolescents, and adults to treat anxiety, depression, trauma, and other common concerns.
Emily previously researched treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She co-authored papers sharing the results of these studies, which were published in the peer-reviewed psychology journals the Journal of Traumatic Stress; Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy; and Psychological Services, contributing to the advancement of PTSD patient care.
As a writer, Emily draws on her psychology background, blending a therapist’s compassion with a scientist’s intellectual rigor.
Today, Emily lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and three sons. To recharge, she loves to create plant-based meals for her family and walk and run along the Mississippi River with friends.
Subjects
Behavioral health, emotional wellness, meditation, mental health, mindfulness, motherhood, parenting, psychology, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle medicine
Skills
Writing Credits
The New York Times, the American Psychological Association, Wired, Parents, Health, Verywell Family, Verywell Mind, Everyday Health, bpHope, Motherly, Motherwell, Reviewed, Romper, Scary Mommy
Awards, Honors, Appointments
2024 AVA Digital Awards Gold Winner (co-author of the American Psychological Association e-booklet Helping Ourselves: Self-Care for Psychologists)
As author, unless indicated otherwise.
People who have lost pregnancies often emotionally distance themselves when they become pregnant again. But is that healthy?
Read
Parents can expect meltdowns as kids get back to the classroom and the world. The same strategies that help neurodiverse children cope with everyday stimuli can also help kids of all types feel safe and regulated.
Ready or not, the world is opening up. Creating a daily rhythm calendar can help you take it all in at your own pace.
Sadness can be a challenging emotion to cope with, but the goal isn’t to avoid it altogether, according to psychologists.
The goal isn’t to not feel sad; it’s to understand what’s causing the sadness and learn and grow from it.
Wishing you had more friends isn’t the only symptom of loneliness. Even people with lots of pals sometimes feel lonely. Here are some secret signs to look for.
Have you ever done a tricky but doable task — say a puzzle — and felt intense engagement, absorption, and enjoyment? If so, you’ve experienced a flow state. Here's what the science says about how it impacts your health and wellbeing and how you can find this psychological state more easily.
Almost a century ago, a plucky little blue engine first I-think-I-canned her way up a mountain in an iconic display of self-efficacy's power. Here's what the science says about this psychological experience and its impact on health and wellbeing.
Everything you need to know about the science behind extroversion.
Everything you need to know about introversion.
