about me
my education & background
My name is Erin Link, I'm a Marriage & Family Therapist licensed in the state of California (46835). I have lived in Los Angeles for almost my entire life, except for the four years I went to college at the University of Oregon; my bachelor's degree is in biological psychology and chemistry, and I graduated magna cum laude. I went to gra
My name is Erin Link, I'm a Marriage & Family Therapist licensed in the state of California (46835). I have lived in Los Angeles for almost my entire life, except for the four years I went to college at the University of Oregon; my bachelor's degree is in biological psychology and chemistry, and I graduated magna cum laude. I went to graduate school at Pepperdine University, and my master’s degree is in clinical psychology. After I finished school I spent several years accumulating the 3000 hours of supervised clinical fieldwork required by the State of California to become eligible for licensure, and in 2008 I passed both board exams and officially became licensed to practice marriage and family therapy (to learn more about the discipline of marriage & family therapy, please visit the FAQs).
For the first 10 years of my career I was a public servant, and I worked with children and families in many different settings and on all levels of care, including schools, outpatient clinics, group homes, foster care, residential facilities, a partial hospitalization program, and an inpatient psychiatric hospital; I also worked for two counties: Orange and Monterey. During the course of my career I have established areas of specialization in childhood abuse and trauma, early infant attachment, family systems, and behavior management. I also became certified in several evidenced-based practices (as defined in the FAQs) including Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
I went into private practice in June of 2012, and since that time I've been working primarily with individual adults and couples. Currently, my areas of specialization include post-traumatic symptoms, mood dysregulation (anxiety and depression), codependence, attachment and family of origin issues, and problematic relationships.
my therapeutic approach
First and foremost, my approach is trauma-informed -- the World Health Organization reports that trauma affects approximately 70.4% of adults worldwide, and this is undoubtedly a very low estimate since many survivors do not share their history because of shame, stigma, avoidance, and/or various other factors. Therefore, I start with the
First and foremost, my approach is trauma-informed -- the World Health Organization reports that trauma affects approximately 70.4% of adults worldwide, and this is undoubtedly a very low estimate since many survivors do not share their history because of shame, stigma, avoidance, and/or various other factors. Therefore, I start with the assumption that trauma is part of everyone’s story,and my first priorities are always safety, collaboration, empowerment, and choice. If you would like to know more about trauma-informed care, please visit the FAQs or use the LEARN MORE button below.
In addition to being trauma-informed, my therapeutic approach is integrative, which means I prefer to borrow and combine elements from multiple therapeutic models, instead of limiting myself to just one. This strategy allows me to adapt my treatment plan to my clients' unique needs, strengths, and preferences. Gilbert et. al. (2011) refers to integrative therapy as a "unifying approach and multi-dimensional relational framework that can be created anew for each individual." The following is a list of my preferred treatment models:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This method involves learning to control thoughts and change fundamental beliefs in order to reduce symptoms and problematic behaviors. I am certified in several evidence-based practices (as defined in the FAQs) with foundations in CBT, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): this model focuses on building psychological flexibility and learning to accept distressing thoughts and feelings, instead of trying to control or eliminate them. ACT also emphasizes using core values as the guide to a meaningful life. If you would like to know more about ACT, please click LEARN MORE below.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): this model has many components, including mindfulness (staying present and observing feelings without judgment) and distress tolerance (skills for coping with intense emotions).
- Psychodynamic therapy: This is the traditional form of psychotherapy; the interventions are intended to facilitate insight and self-awareness, unmask the unconscious, examine underlying drives and defense mechanisms, and achieve self-actualization, among many other things. Psychodynamic therapy is effective for clients with problematic interpersonal relationships, unresolved conflict within their family of origin, unmet developmental needs from childhood, and avoidant or insecure attachment styles (just to name a few). To learn more about psychodynamic therapy, please click LEARN MORE below.
- Humanistic: This approach falls under the "psychodynamic" umbrella; the interventions include expression of empathy, active listening, and unconditional positive regard; goals include building a strong therapeutic alliance, promoting self-acceptance, and facilitating personal growth.
- Existential: This approach also falls under the "psychodynamic" umbrella; it involves helping clients search for meaning, embrace both freedom and responsibility, and confront mortality.
If you would like to know more about integrative psychotherapy, please click LEARN MORE below.
making an appointment
I am available in the afternoons and evenings every day except Sundays.
My practice is still fully remote, so all services are telehealth-based at this time; my platform is fully secure and HIPAA-compliant.
Use the MAKE AN APPOINTMENT button at the top of the page to access my calendar.
Please visit the FAQs to find answers to basic quest
I am available in the afternoons and evenings every day except Sundays.
My practice is still fully remote, so all services are telehealth-based at this time; my platform is fully secure and HIPAA-compliant.
Use the MAKE AN APPOINTMENT button at the top of the page to access my calendar.
Please visit the FAQs to find answers to basic questions and general information about scheduling, telehealth, and various other topics.