About

 

Erin L Good

Get to know me:

  • Licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of human service experience

  • Master of Social Work degree from Arizona State University

  • Post-graduate Certificate in Sport Social Work from the University of Michigan

  • Licensed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Texas

    I provide support through a nervous system lens with a trauma-focused approach. My practice draws on a variety of body-based therapeutic modalities including Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, and Polyvagal Theory. I am also trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, however in my clinical experience the most significant changes occur when we get out of our head and into our bodies.

    In addition to clinical training, I am a former mountain biking & hiking guide who has expanded outdoor activities to include rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, skiing, cycling, and trail running. I’ve finished (and gloriously DNF’d) multiple ultramarathons, including distances of 50K, 50M, 100M, and 200M. I’ve maintained Wilderness First Responder certification since 2006, and I’ve completed avalanche education including AIARE Level 1, AIARE Avalanche Rescue, and AAI Avalanche Recreation Level 2. I am an active volunteer with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue.

— MY WHY —

I have often been met with confusion or exclamations of "I just don't get it" or "It takes a special person" when I talk about my love of pursuing ultramarathon races, big mountain objectives, or my professional work of providing crisis intervention, counseling, and trauma-focused care.

Why would I actively place myself in situations that are uncomfortable, stressful, or potentially dangerous?

I feel called to these challenges because I truly believe they bring out the best in me, and in those I share the adventure with.

The challenge can arise when people have a near-miss, experience injury, or significant loss in the pursuit of a goal. How do you process what happened? How do you reconcile with returning to the activity or calling that caused harm? There isn't a clear path, and I have personally wrestled with these questions. I don't think I am special or unique in that way.

If I feel this way, others may feel this way, too.

Question and Answer time with Erin!

Let's Chat!

  • I am providing a therapeutic service for people who are drawn to mountains, whether it is for recreation or work in the form of avalanche forecasting, search & rescue, ski patrol. I have seen both friends and professionals experience distress and stress injury as a result of accidents or near-misses in wild spaces, and yet they keep returning. It may not make sense to others, but I want to hold space for those who keep returning. I want to talk openly about mental health and emotional well-being, and how it factors into decision-making in wild spaces and why we go back.

  • I have always felt drawn to service, and I was thrilled when I landed my first social service position working in crisis intervention and de-escalation in 2005. I previously thought about opening a private practice, however my vision crystalized in February 2022 when I was in a skiing accident resulting in a torn left ACL and MCL. I consider myself a resilient person, and I was surprised by how hard the injury impacted me. I reached out for professional support, however I did not feel the professional was prepared for or understood the significance of the injury, or the role movement or athletics play in my life. I looked around, and I could not find the support I was looking for; in the absence of this support, I am creating the service I wish I had access to. I started this service to provide counseling to individuals who are driven to perform, however they may not know how to be still.

  • I have a unique background that combines the richness of clinical training, intensity of work experience, and high-performance mountain sports. I know very well what it feels like to train for months for an event, only to have a less-than desired performance. I am comfortable holding space for those who work or perform in high-intensity, high-consequence environments.