In this episode, Patrick Casale speaks with Erica Smith about creating equitable and accessible workplaces in private practice. Erica shares candid, real-life stories of navigating the mental health field as someone living with chronic illness, and discusses the imperative of designing work environments that are truly supportive and accessible.
Top 3 takeaways:
- Accessibility Goes Beyond Ramps: It means considering everything from office seating and safe, convenient entryways to virtual work options and clear communication about what your space does (and doesn't) offer.
- Culture Starts with Transparency: Erica models being upfront with staff and clients about values, policies, and decision-making—including the challenges and financial realities of running an equitable group practice.
- Intentionality Drives Inclusion: From pronouns on the website to supporting community initiatives and hosting know-your-rights cards in the lobby, every detail signals who you want to welcome and support in your practice.
More about Erica
Erica, a North Carolina native and clinical social worker, specializes in trauma, particularly interpersonal violence, racial trauma, and chronic/invisible illness, drawn from her personal experiences. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and then Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) at age 12 in 2003—also the year she experienced the sudden loss of her father—followed by Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) later in life. These events spurred her desire to help others, leading to international volunteering, non-profit work, and over 10 years as a therapist. Navigating chronic illness and being a Black woman taught her strategies to adapt and advocate. She now leads Whole Mentality, a Raleigh-based group practice focused on accessible and affirming mental health services.
- From Solo to Collective: Leading an Equitable Therapy Practice - for group practice consultation: itsericakendra.com/consultation
- Website: wholementality.com
- Social media: @wholementality and @itsericakenddra
–––––––––––––––––––––
🎙️Listen to more episodes of the All Things Private Practice Podcast
🎙️Spotify
🎙️Apple
▶️ YouTube
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com