Erica Mantel, LMSW

With years of experience working with children and adolescents in various settings, I work to create a space that is free from judgment and gives my clients the opportunity to feel safe and heard. Each client will feel at ease in an environment where they can learn to express themselves fully and gain a better understanding of themselves and their life experiences.  

My work focuses specifically on children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing anxiety and depression related to navigating living with chronic diseases like Type 1 Diabetes, food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and other related disorders.

 As a mom of a child living with a chronic disease, I understand the physical and emotional demands of managing health while still being able to participate in the activities and elements of life that an individual wants to be a part of, the overwhelm of trying to manage responsibilities while not feeling well (both mentally and physically), feeling isolated or misunderstood by peers, not knowing how to communicate wants and needs to friends, teachers, coworkers, bosses, etc, and the many more aspects that may come along with a seemingly invisible chronic disease diagnosis.

 I provide a safe space for exploring emotions and understanding how to view life circumstances as empowering rather than defeating.  I will help your child learn to accept the circumstances of their life without feeling they have to sacrifice feeling good about themselves or participating in life in a meaningful way.  We will work together to set goals that feel realistic and attainable. 

Particularly for individuals living with chronic diseases related to managing diet, I recognize the importance of developing healthy self esteem related to body image.  I have experience with disordered eating and, using a lens of body positivity and acceptance, help individuals work to understand and accept their inherent value as human beings outside of appearance. My goal is for each individual to understand they are important and worthy even on days where they don’t love their bodies and to help them discover ways to care for themselves that come from a space of self respect and self worth . 

I work to ensure individuals discover ways to feel good about themselves and uncover their own strengths.  Through their new found sense of self, children, adolescents, and young adults are able to make choices they feel good about with confidence and feel more sure of their own abilities to succeed.