Does this feel familiar?
You’re getting through the day, but it takes more effort than people realize. You might be masking, second-guessing yourself, feeling overwhelmed by things you’re expected to handle, or noticing the same painful patterns in your relationships. Maybe you’re tired of explaining your identity or the way your mind works before anyone gets to know you.
You don’t have to sort all of that out before reaching out. We can start with what life feels like right now and get curious about what you need.
Therapy that makes room for all of you
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, trauma, identity, neurodivergence, or relationships, our work can help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface. We’ll pay attention to the parts of you that have been working hard to protect you, while making more room for your own voice, needs, and choices.
Hi there, I'm Erica!
NICE TO MEET YOU
Hi, I’m Erica Smalla, LCSWA and Certified IFS Therapist. I’m curious about what makes you you—including the parts you’ve had to hide, the ways you’ve learned to protect yourself, and what you wish felt different.
My approach is warm, creative, and collaborative. I’ll help you make sense of what’s happening inside without judging it or deciding who you should be. We can go deep, laugh, slow down, or start with the things you haven’t found words for yet. You don’t have to mask or do therapy “right” with me. We’ll find a way of working together that feels like yours.
Available services
Ways we can work together
A place to understand what you’re carrying and find a way forward that feels like your own.
Talk about your whole life in a space where your identity is respected and celebrated.
Support for young people to explore big feelings, relationships, and who they’re becoming.
Get to know the parts of you that have been working so hard to help you through life.
Find support that works with your brain and makes room for your needs.
Understand the patterns between you and build more honest, connected ways of relating.
Explore what matters to you without having to prove or defend who you are.
Areas of expertise
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS) · ANXIETY & TRAUMA · NEURODIVERGENCE
LGBTQ+ AFFIRMING THERAPY · RELATIONSHIPS & INTIMACY
COUPLES THERAPY · KIDS & TEENS · TRANSGENDER & GENDER-EXPANSIVE
What To Expect
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Let's Connect
Come As You Are
Get Curious
We’ll start with a free 15-minute consultation to talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’re looking for, and whether working together feels like a good fit.
There’s no pressure to know exactly where to begin. We’ll slow things down, get to know you and what’s been happening, and begin exploring what you’d like to be different.
From there, therapy is collaborative and shaped around you. We may talk, explore parts through IFS, notice what’s happening in your body, use creativity, or simply make space for whatever needs attention that day.
Every part of you is welcome here
You don’t have to hide, mask, perform, or have the right words here. Heartbeat Therapy & Wellness is an LGBTQ+ affirming and neurodivergent-affirming space where every part of you is welcome—including the parts you’re still learning to understand.