Emily P.G. Erickson Title: Writer Education: University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN Location: St. Paul, MN Expertise: Counseling Psychology, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Parenting, PTSD Emily P.G. Erickson is a Minnesota-based freelance writer who holds a master's degree in psychology. She has written about mental and behavioral health for multiple digital publications. Emily's work, which often covers the practical application of science, benefits from her background as a psychotherapist at a community clinic and researcher who studied PTSD for the Department of Veteran Affairs. When she's not writing, Emily loves baking with her three children and long walks without them. Experience Emily P.G. Erickson is a freelance journalist who specializes in mental health and parenting. She has written for major digital publications, including Everyday Health, Health, Motherly, The New York Times, Reviewed, Romper, Scary Mommy, WIRED, and more. Emily is a professional member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.Emily’s writing, which often covers the practical application of science, benefits from her wide-ranging background. She attended Macalester College, majoring in psychology and geography and working as lab manager for a cognitive linguistics lab. She spent a semester abroad in northeast Thailand, where she began to study Buddhism and started a meditation practice. After graduating magna cum laude, Emily began working for the City of St. Paul and eventually served as the city’s first sustainable transportation planner, a role focused on promoting environmental sustainability and public health. Emily left that position to pursue graduate school in psychology, earning a master of arts in counseling psychology from the University of St. Thomas. As part of her program, she completed an 800-hour psychotherapy practicum at a community mental health clinic providing therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. During and after graduate school, Emily worked as a mental health researcher studying PTSD for the Department of Veterans Affairs.In addition to her freelance work, Emily has co-authored numerous public policy documents and published scientific papers in the peer-reviewed research journals the Journal of Traumatic Stress; Psychological Services; and Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.For more from Emily, visit her website https://emilypgerickson.com/ Education Emily has a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of St. Thomas, where she was awarded the Common Good Award for her outstanding contribution to the College of Education, Leadership, and Counseling and the greater community.Emily also received a bachelor of arts with honors in psychology and geography from Macalester College, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. About Health Health, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for empathetic, trustworthy, and actionable health and wellness information so you can make the best choice for your health. We reach more than 9 million readers a month. We ensure the accuracy of our content by relying on seasoned health journalists, credentialed medical professionals and thorough fact checkers. Learn more about us and our editorial process.