Reintroducing Erin Simone

It is a privilege that I get to do what I do–work with clients looking for online therapy in Atlanta and all over Georgia. I’ve been on the path to becoming a psychotherapist and owner of Avalon Psychotherapy since I was in grade school. I’m an extrovert and am energized by being around people. I’m passionate about being in a helping profession where I get to spend time with people when they’re in a vulnerable space, and I think even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d still come to work the next day. 

As I prepare to transition back from maternity leave and resume seeing therapy clients, I want to take an opportunity to talk about this job and life that gives me so much joy–my approach, who I work with, and a little about what I do when I’m not working.

My Therapeutic Process

My roots are in the relational process of psychotherapy. I believe that healing happens when a person feels seen in their pain. During my time with a client, I want to help them feel seen (heard, acknowledged, accepted). For many people, therapy can be the first time that anyone took the time to listen to them and learn about their emotional pain. As a therapist, that’s what I do–recognize what my clients are going through and offer them a deep level of understanding, patience, and compassion. 

A metaphor I often use with my clients is that of a tangled necklace–clients come to me tied up in knots and through therapy we untangle those knots. In the untangling, some knots will loosen, others may form, but we work together to reshape the necklace how it should be. Also like necklaces, the knots don’t always stay untangled…but the untangling gets easier each time as you learn the best ways to unloop and tug at the knots. 

Above all, throughout our work together, I trust my clients’ process of how they want to tell their life story. I won’t ask a ton of questions–you’re not coming to an interview, you’re telling me what feels important to you. 

DBT

Aside from psychotherapy, I also practice Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Traditional psychotherapy is more emotional and relational-based, whereas DBT is behavioral-based. Instead of saying “Let’s talk about what you’re going through and process it,” it’s a more instructional and practical method of managing your emotions. 

For most clients, a combination of psychotherapy and DBT is the best approach. Adding DBT to psychotherapy can be a game changer. When clients come to our DBT group therapy sessions feeling frustrated, discouraged, and overwhelmed, we’re not there to judge whatever coping skills they’ve used to manage their emotions in the past. We’re there to help them change and move forward while at the same time recognizing and validating that the ways they used to cope with their emotions may have served them at one time.

Who I Work With

I’m incredibly passionate about working with young adults and adults who are seeking therapy for anxiety and burnout, and those looking for help with relationship issues. If you’re single, I want to help you figure out the type of relationship you want. If you’re in a relationship, I want to help you figure out how to navigate your relationship. I especially like working with people on improving communication, setting boundaries, and identifying resentment in their life. 

As a somewhat new mom, with two kids in the past two years, I’ve become very interested in working with people seeking therapy around pregnancy and parenting. While it’s not necessary, it can be helpful to see a therapist who has experienced what you’re experiencing, and I would love to start seeing clients looking for prenatal and postnatal counseling. 

Outside of Avalon

When I’m not with clients, I’m spending most of my time outside with my husband, our two-year-old, our new baby, and our dog. I love to hike, garden, look for wildlife with my kids, have bonfires–generally anything that involves fresh air and exploring. 

I’m always eager to learn new things, so this year I’ve been trying out a plant-based approach to food and researching the best way to incorporate that into my life.  I also love listening to audiobooks, both fiction and non-fiction. I’m always up for dancing and recently, I got to dance my heart out at a Backstreet Boys concert.