Biography

Biography

You Can Do It All

You Can Do It All

Thanks Act Two for this wonderful article! Glad to be able to inspire others to live audaciously! http://acttwomagazine.com/dr-erica-miller-can-do-it-all/

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Do It – Bloomer Boomer

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Do It – Bloomer Boomer

Be sure to listen to my interview with Bloomer Boomer Podcast where I share my own first-hand experiences. I credit my fearless and audacious approach to life on my ability to survive a horrific childhood, and I have transformed those experiences to become a successful healer and businesswoman.

http://bloomerboomer.com/podcast/

My Philosophy as a Therapist

My Philosophy as a Therapist

What is therapy? According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, “therapy is a procedure designed to treat disease, illness or disability.” In other words, therapy is a process, a series of steps toward a desired outcome marketed by gradual intrinsic change rarely visible to the naked eye.

The key to achieving the desired outcome definitely depends on the positive relationship between the client and the clinician. Readiness of the patient and the skills of the therapist are other key factors.

In addition to the skill of the therapist, other essential ingredients that matter in the positive therapeutic outcome are the clinician’s keen sense of intuition, empathy and a conveyed belief that change is possible. It does not matter what theory of change is utilized, whether it is Freudian, Rogerian, psychodynamic or behaviorist.

My therapy style is eclectic—a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I view myself as an instructor, coach, mentor and preacher. I want my clients to learn and apply the principle, “Life is to be lived today. The past is gone and the future might never be.” I am committed to inspire and influence clients to join me in the here and now as I import my knowledge, spirit, passion and appreciation for life with all of its twists and turns.

My orientation is psychodynamic—a moving, evolving process of uncovering layers of the past and helping clients to adopt new perspectives and practice new behaviors.

On Being Who I Am

On Being Who I Am

When people ask me where I’m from, I say “Rumania”. Yet, I can’t even think of it as my country. My memories from childhood during the war consist of filth, poverty, and oppression. Even after the war, I didn’t have a chance to put down roots and feel bonded to my birthplace. As an adult, I returned to my birthplace to revisit some of the places I had known as a child, but there was no familiarity or feelings of kinship associated with that experience. I felt completely detached. The area was just a city in which I once lived.

We moved to Israel when I was 15. While I felt safe and free there, I was still a new immigrant and was mocked by the natives for talking funny. I grew to love Israel, but it was not my origin or my birthplace.

When I came to the United States as a young woman, my manner often shocked Americans. I was too direct, brazen and outspoken. I said what was on my mind, which is a trait common to Israelis. I know I often embarrassed my children because I took a stand and spoke up and got involved when there were issues that were important to me… anti-Semitism, was one of those topics. I am reminded by the words of Eli Wiesel, fellow author and concentration camp survivor. He once said, “Apathy is the worst of human traits; not getting involved, looking the other way, witnessing brutality from man to man and not speaking out is unconscionable.” The truth is, We are our brother’s keepers.

Don’t Tell Me I Cannot Do It

Don’t Tell Me I Cannot Do It

As we go through this life, we are met with adversity and challenges along the way.  How we face that adversity and how we overcome those obstacles help to shape our character, our experiences, and our achievements.

We all wear certain labels that could easily be assigned blame for why we cannot do this or that. Those labels might be woman, Jew, mother, grandmother, plain, gorgeous, short, or tall.  You may think you can’t do something because of a particular label.

You can’t run a marathon. You’re a grandmother!
You can’t join an elite military group. You’re a woman!
You can’t play basketball. You’re too short!
You can’t be that smart. You’re too gorgeous!

You get the idea.

In my life, my mantra has always been, “ Don’t tell me I cannot do it!” Time and again I have proven that I am the little engine that could. I flexed my muscles of ability to earn my PhD while married with two children. Lots of people thought I couldn’t or shouldn’t do it, but I knew I could!

When I entered the military service in Israel, my goal was to be in the Israeli Air Force, the most prestigious division of the armed forces. People said I couldn’t do it because it is very hard to get in and everybody wants to end up there. I knew I could and I did!

When I was a young woman, I worked two jobs and took night classes in order to get my high school diploma. People thought I was wasting my time because a high school education was not really valued then. People thought I shouldn’t do it.  But I knew I should and I knew I could!

Don’t let other people decide what you can or cannot do. Only you know your true potential and only you can decide what you can accomplish. With determination and focus there is nothing you cannot do!

Train for that marathon! Open that business! Don’t waste another moment selling yourself short because of someone else’s perception of your abilities. Discard those labels and accomplish anything you put your mind to.

What have you set out to do that people said you couldn’t do? What are you going to start doing today that someone said you couldn’t?

-Dr. Erica Miller

Welcome to the Blog of Dr. Erica Miller

Welcome to the Blog of Dr. Erica Miller

In this first of many articles to come, I wanted to welcome you to my blog and thank you for coming.

My name is Dr. Erica Miller. I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology specializing in marriage & family counseling since the early 1980′s. I founded a chain of clinics that have helped hundreds of patients heal.

I have recently released my memoir, Thanks for My Journey, a labor of love that chronicles my life. As a child in Romania, I—with other members of my family— survived the horrors of the Holocaust. My teenage and young adult years were spent in Israel, where I served in the Israeli Air Force. My adult life has been lived in the United States, where I earned my PhD while raising children, nurtured a marriage, and opened my business. My story is a testament to the rewards of persistence and determination despite the odds.

This blog will cover various topics centered around such subjects as parenting, women’s issues, honoring our own needs, aging actively, work-life balance, and more. It is my hope that here in this forum I can share some of the wisdom I have learned along the way.

I thought it would be beneficial to share some of my core beliefs with the idea that it will give you some insight into where I am coming from and where I believe we can all go.

I believe that life is a gift, a journey, both smooth and rocky.
You should flex your muscles of experience every chance you get.
There is no failure. Disappointments make the joy of accomplishments so much greater.
Hurt brings opportunity for growth and healing. Cherish it all.
Live life today. The past is gone. The future might never be.

It is my sincere wish that you enjoy and find value in what will be posted here, and I hope you will return often. I encourage you to share your comments so that we can open a dialogue about the topics discussed and further our learning and growth as a result.  Of course, I’d be honored if you would tell your friends about what you have read here and ask them to check it out as well.

Once again, welcome! I look forward to our journey.

-Dr. Erica Miller

[/db_pb_signup][/db_pb_signup]