Meet Erin Nicole McGinnis of East West Holistic Psychotherapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Nicole McGinnis.

Erin Nicole, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I always wanted to do something that helped others and made a difference in the world. With a natural curiosity and fascination for human nature, I gravitated toward psychology. After graduate school, I began working in the nonprofit sector with underserved populations such as foster care youth and the homeless.

I transitioned to private practice when I noticed a need in my community and our broader culture for mental health advocacy and effective services. On my blog and social media, I try to de-stigmatize and reduce shame around emotional and mental illness.

I provide therapy in a way that produces results for my clients. I feel that as individuals and as a society, we need to do a better job of promoting and prioritizing emotional intelligence, empathy, healthy relationships and mental health.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Promoting mental health services comes with barriers that other professions do not have. For one, there is shame around clients needing or wanting help. There is also a lot of stigma and misunderstanding about what mental illness is, so people often do not recognize that they could benefit from psychotherapy. As a mental health provider, there are also strict ethical guidelines around how we can sell and market our services.

These guidelines are there for a good reason, but in a world saturated with advertisements, the message that mental health services are beneficial often gets lost. Other professions that don’t have to adhere to such strict guidelines, like life coaches, can use tactics that make it harder for evidence-based mental health practices to compete.

Another unique challenge is the constant need for self-care. A therapist’s medium is empathy, which can run out or become depleted if I’m not refueling. I have to continually check in with myself and make sure that I am not becoming stressed, overburdened, or exhausted. No matter how busy I get, I have to remember to meditate regularly, do yoga, eat a proper diet, sleep well, drink plenty of water, and get my own healing if necessary.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I created my private practice around my own healing journey. After experiencing a lot of loss and trauma, I found that many psychotherapeutic approaches were not sufficient.

What worked best for me was a combination of eastern philosophical and spiritual perspectives with western evidenced-based practices that focus on healing trauma. Some psychotherapies concentrate on giving tools. instead of healing the actual cause of the issue. I believe that every illness and disturbance has a trauma root and that to truly transform you have to repair the underlying cause.

My specialty is working with people who have attachment issues and difficulty in relationships with others. Although it sounds time consuming and painful, healing trauma can be quick and painless. I think many people are surprised by how much better they can feel in just a few sessions. I’m most proud when I see clients reach their full potential and live the life they have always wanted. For a therapist, there really is no reward better than that.

What were you like growing up?
I was always an empath with a wild imagination. I would cry at school almost every day. Not because I was upset but because other kids around me were being teased or didn’t understand what the teacher was saying. My teachers would always say that I should focus on finishing my work instead of trying to help everyone else in the class. When I would get bored or upset, my defense was to slip into my own little world.

Looking back, it makes sense to me that I’m in a helping profession that requires empathy. I also kept my longing for creativity, and I regularly need this outlet to remain centered and whole.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2510 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90405
• Website: www.HolisticPsychotherapyLA.com
• Phone: 310-975-3110
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/wisetobewild/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/erinnicolemcginnis/
• Twitter: twitter.com/wisetobewild
• Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/erin-nicole-mcginnis-ma-lmft-santa-monica

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