About Me
Hi, I'm Erin McQueen, a registered AMFT, depth psychotherapist, and grief counselor based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
My path to this work, like many therapists, began with my own grief and healing journey; forays with illness, injury, and grief — from the loss of beloved family members and pets, to the hair on my head. These experiences, while tender and painful at times, paved the way for deepened purpose and connection in my life — inevitably bringing me to the gateway of this sacred and meaningful work.
My Approach
As a psychotherapist, I believe grief and loss to be the undercurrent of life, ever present even if momentarily out of focus. For me, therapy is not about quick solutions or fixing what is "broken," but rather tending to what is deeply human in each of us.
My theoretical approach integrates relational psychodynamic, existential, and transpersonal perspectives within a social justice and trauma-informed framework, holding sensitivity to the role of the unconscious and the significance of broader systemic factors, such as power and oppression, on our holistic wellbeing.
At the heart of my work, I carry an unwavering commitment to promoting the agency, dignity, and autonomy of every human being.
Education & Training
I received my Master's in Counseling Psychology from the Wright Institute in 2023. My clinical training has encompassed multiple environments, including hospital and hospice settings, community mental health clinics, and private practice, where I've worked with individuals, couples, and families navigating a wide variety of complex issues and life challenges.
Prior to the completion of my degree, I also worked as a crisis counselor with BRAVE Bay Area (fka BAWAR) and the Mental Health Association of California, providing trauma-informed disaster response and survivor-centered care.
Working closely with those navigating serious illness, grief, and mortality has deepened my attunement to the existential and spiritual questions of life, as well as the profound ways we search for meaning in times of uncertainty, loss, and change.
In addition to my virtual practice, I currently receive advanced psychodynamic training at The Psychotherapy Institute in Berkeley, where I engage in ongoing consultation.
License
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, AMFT 143733 (2023)
Supervised by Ali Vogt, LMFT
Outside of sessions, I find joy in hot cups of coffee, all things music, film, and poetry, journaling morning pages (if you know, you know!) and spending time in nature, hiking and birdwatching, with my beloved Muppet-esque rescue dog, Bernie.
