Erica NeufeldLCAT

Before becoming a therapist, I was an artist. I studied art in college and wanted to be a professional artist for my career. But after some time I realized that being an artist as a profession was very lonely for me, and I desired to help and serve others. Additionally, art has always been very therapeutic for me, so when I discovered that Art Therapy was an actual career, I knew it was for me! I am also a natural listener and so being a therapist seemed second nature to me.

Success in therapy does not mean that you will no longer struggle with depression, anxiety, stress, or any other negative emotion or issue. Rather, success is found in how you cope with these feelings and events and the meaning that you make out of your experiences. The quote on my profile about Kintsugi pottery sums up my beliefs about progress and success in therapy quite well: when you can get to the point where you see your broken parts, your cracks, flaws, and struggles—as unique, beautiful, and more valuable than before you were broken…that is when real healing begins to happen. And any step along the way, even if painful, is a step in the right direction.

I take a person-centered, holistic approach to therapy, where my style, approach, and type of therapy I offer can change based on what you, as the client, need and want. For instance, just because I specialize in art therapy, if art is not your thing, I don’t force you to do it! I find that many adults are somewhat traumatized by their experiences with art in school, and it brings up feelings of inadequacy rather than accomplishment. Take a look at my video where I explain more about what art therapy is and how it works in therapy sessions with adults. No matter what type of therapy I may use, I always follow your lead in terms of who you are as a person (spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically), using your natural strengths and interests to guide the sessions. I do, however, ask that you complete a task of some kind in between sessions, where you can either further explore or practice skills or ideas that we discussed in session. So be prepared to put in a little bit of time and effort in between sessions—I find that progress is made much, much quicker that way!

I have over 10 years of experience providing therapy to people of all ages and all backgrounds, and have treated a wide variety of mental health struggles including depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder, sexual issues, trauma, substance use, and more. I’ve worked with adults on an inpatient psychiatric unit in a hospital, with teenagers in residential facilities and public high schools, and with adults at a community mental health outpatient clinic. I am a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, which means I have the experience and credentials to provide regular talk therapy or psychotherapy, as well as the expertise to help you use creativity and art making within your therapy sessions to deepen the experience and therapeutic benefits.

31 Thurber Drive, Waterloo, 13165, NY