Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Ives.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My journey has been quite an extensive one that is honestly still unfolding. I know it took a great deal of personal suffering to make it to this place where I am in my professional journey, but what’s next is still unknown. Where I can begin is working at the age of 17 as an after-school playground coach. That was where I began to gather the passion to work with people at a deeper capacity. The next resounding development was to pursue this service through teaching.
I began to focus more of my attention on Early Childhood Development to find that there was still a piece of my search missing. The specific feelings or identification wasn’t quite palpable, but I was able to realize that I had not yet mustered the deep, and itching sense of fulfillment I was seeking. Continuing my education as a Child Development Major, I added a Psychology minor. I feel like that story is so cliche, but that was my truth.
At this point, I centered my next step to enter Graduate school around the significance I placed on human connectedness. This route would provide the ability to help others with their own identifications of self, the self in relation to the family, and the self in relation to their community. Pepperdine University was incredibly impactful. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, I shortly became licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist (MFT).
The start of my career as a therapist began with the treatment of adolescents who suffered from trauma, substance abuse, women’s issues, and eating disorders. Many new opportunities revealed themselves after taking the next steps to becoming a CAMFT Certified Clinical Supervisor. As I began to gain some mastery over my skills, I became more confident in my leadership style and then accepted jobs as a Clinical Director in various treatment centers.
I went on to become a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist through IAEDP (International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals) and started to write articles on topics of interest. It took a good ten years before I truly considered myself competent enough to identify as a specialist in the areas of trauma, eating disorders, and addiction. In 2013, after writing for years, my book, Eating Disorders: Decode the Controlled Chaos was published.
I took the time to hire a publicist to help market the book, and this turned out to be an interesting experience, which confirmed the significance of my insight with the propensity and deep yearning I had to share my knowledge. This led to work as a media expert, through television, print, and radio, which was so complimentary to the work I was already doing. My book and media presence provided a forum to speak and took me to a place of wanting to help mentor those who were in graduate school going down the same path as I did.
So, I became a professor at a University that brought out a love for breaking down concepts and theoretical approaches that in-fact brought things full circle in many ways. All of this occurred while maintaining an ongoing private practice, which I continue to have today. There has been a shift to keep utilizing my own individual voice and bring out the several areas that are key in mental health, and alas I today, have Mindfulpath Inc.
It is the baby-brainchild of a little over 20 years of insight, training, and education with many of the leading minds in addiction and mental health treatment. I teach and have continued as a Clinical Supervisor training therapists on the road to licensure.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My career and business has not been a smooth picturesque path by any means, and there have been bumps, which have felt like tumbling down caverns at times. There have also been patches of time where a sense of bliss is evident. I’ve learned through practice that taking things in stride is paramount.
Major quandaries toward my confidence, the pragmatism to say yes, and deliberately decide ‘no’ with certain direction has felt a time daunting, but remaining true as a therapist, and human has helped me to navigate this journey. My voice and truth have not always maintained it’s deliberateness, and it is so much in this wavering that I repeatedly reflect, and become more aligned with my spirit and direction.
As an owner, it has also proven difficult at times to not take my companies success as a personal reflection of my own identity. Let us not judge ourselves on our successes but on our merit.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mindfulpath Inc. – what should we know?
I’m so excited to share Mindfulpath with you! As the Founder and CEO, I incorporated Mindfulpath in 2011, and it houses so many of the aspects that work in conjunction to help people create a singular space to work on their mind, body, and soul. We have numerous types of services that can act like an ala carte menu or a single treatment element based upon the needs of the individuals we serve.
We treat the individual from a psychological, physical, social, and spiritual lens because everyone is unique and heals differently. What works for one, may not work for another. At this time we offer individual and group therapy, nutritional services, case management, yoga, intensives, massage, reiki, and music therapy. All in one space, and with the options to do in-home services as well.
While we definitely expect our services to expand over time the process begins with people being curious and contacting our team. Mindfulpath will then assess, and we will collaboratively create and design a program that speaks and works for you based on the treatment goals. You can come to us, or we can come to you, but be sure to be in touch because a very impactful, passionate project of mine is furthering in its development!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mentors, colleagues, family, friends, significant other, and of course those individuals who are courageous enough to seek help.
Contact Info:
- Address: 22231 Mulholland Hwy. Ste. 114 Calabasas, CA 91302
528 Arizona Ave. Ste. 220 Santa Monica, CA 90401 - Website: www.mindfulpath.com
- Phone: 424-307-5640
- Email: erica@mindfulpath.com
- Instagram: @mindfulpathinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfulpathinc/
- Other: https://linkedin.com/in/ericamft/
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