Emma Ackerman
LSW | Licensed Social Worker (In supervision toward clinical licensure with Deanna Ingle, LCSW)
Welcome! My name is Emma. I’m a passionate and dedicated Licensed Social Worker (LSW). I am warm, compassionate, curious, direct, and also like to bring a little humor into therapy! Therapy is often challenging and brings up a lot of emotions, but our sessions won’t always feel heavy.
My practice is diverse and all-inclusive, and my clinical approach is holistic, trauma-informed, and person-centered. What does this mean? It means that I welcome clients of all ages, identities, and walks of life. It means that I aim to create a space where you can bring your whole self to therapy- the parts you’re proud of, the parts you show to family and friends, the parts you want to work on, and especially the parts that are painful and hard to face. You won’t find any judgement here! I look at each client as a whole person in connection with their environment. You are a unique and complex human being, and your values, culture, race & ethnicity, worldview, and past experiences impact your identity. These things make you who you are and they matter in therapy! You deserve to be seen as more than just your symptoms and diagnosis.
My first and main priority in the therapeutic relationship is for you to feel seen and understood, no matter what brings you in. From there, we’ll work together to build a treatment plan that is customized to YOU and what you want to get out of our sessions. We can target those thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck in the same patterns, we can work on emotion regulation for those times when life just feels like too much, and we can dig even deeper to help you foster better self-understanding, form healthier relationships, and create the life that you want to live.
I know that navigating the mental health system when you most need support can be confusing and discouraging. I know that you may face many hurdles in reaching out and starting therapy, and that very real systems of oppression impact our lives and mental health. I get it. I aim to make therapy as accessible as possible and am deeply committed to advocating for the needs of my clients.
My background includes work in community mental health settings, psychiatric inpatient and emergency settings, and nonprofit roles supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I work with a wide range of issues and diagnoses and am especially passionate about supporting individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harm behaviors, substance use, and those who are recovering from traumatic experiences and relationships.
Congratulations on taking this first step! I look forward to meeting you and seeing if we are a good fit.
I am available for telehealth and in-person appointments.
Modalities used:
I pull from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), Motivational Interviewing (MI), psychodynamic approaches, parts-based work from IFS (Internal Family Systems), mindfulness-based approaches.
I accept Aetna, Cigna, Highmark, & IBX insurances.
Please click the button below to contact our administrative team and begin the intake process.