Erin K MacDonald, LCSW - S

I’m excited to offer this webinar July 19th. It’s worth 2 hours of ETHICS CEUs for Texas providers. We will talk about GLP-1 medications (ozempic, mounjaro, etc) and what it looks like in our practices. We will cover what these meds are, how Health at Every Size CAN align with the use of these medications, how our professional ethics fit into this picture and have time for Q&A/discussion. I hope you’ll join us, Friday 7/19 from 12-2p CST. (Anyone can participate but only folks licensed in Texas are eligible for CEUs).

It’s the end of an era. I taught my last class in this building…in the building that changed the trajectory of my life. We often say that “what starts here changes the world”…and I never dreamed when I walked through these doors in January of 2014, that I’d be walking out of them, 10 years later as a professor. This semester has been special—my classes were full of amazing students, both BSW and MSSW, who ask brilliant questions, engage in hard conversations and keep pushing each other (and ME!) to be better. While this is the end of this iteration of the School of Social Work at UT, our program will continue. We will be housed in the middle of campus this upcoming year and I’ll be back to teaching in August. I never expected to find such joy and fulfillment in being a professor and I’m so lucky I get to continue teaching (and learning alongside) these tremendous students. These individuals care deeply about the world around them, are creative and collaborative regarding their desires to find solutions, and give me incredible hope for the future of Social Work and the future of our country. I believe change can and will come…and I know these students will be a part of that change.

Hi all! Happy Friday! I have some summer CE offerings coming up, including Ethics and Cultural Competence for Texas providers, and would love to invite you to be a part of them. Additional details are available at my website: https://www.erinkebert.com/workshops-trainings

Excited to kick off the Spring semester at Steve Hicks School of Social Work! Teaching 2 BSW courses this spring: Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) and Generalist Social Work Practice: Skills, Knowledge, and Values. I'm excited for the learning and discussions ahead!

First day of class as a professor! Excited to be back at working with MSSW students and teaching the CBT course. I’m excited for all this semester has to hold. 🧡🤘

A q***r professional and a professional q***r! I started this program () in LGBT Health Policy & Practice at in 2019…only to have life intervene. A hysterectomy, significant car accident, and then the onset of the COVID pandemic made completion of this program seemingly impossible. I had great support from the program and my cohort mates and I am happy to say I’m (finally) officially done!

Only a few more days before the second round of this timely continuing ed workshop: Navigating Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation: Considerations for helping professionals. I’d love to have you join us Friday 7/29 9a-12p!

My vacation is wrapping up, which means my mind inevitable drifts back to work. I want to invite you to a 3 hour ethics workshop NEXT FRIDAY, July 29, from 9a-12p central.

I’ll be offering “Navigating Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation: Considerations for helping professionals”. It’s a 3 hour ethics workshop covering current issues, the 2022 GOP platform, as well as the projected legislative issues for 2023. While this is a CEU for Texas clinicians, there is a non-CEU rate, and I believe the content is helpful for any clinicians in states facing Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Unfortunately Texas seems to lead the way in these situations, and it seems like there may be more states that follow suit. I hope you’ll consider joining us.

Hello! I wanted to share a quick reminder about the upcoming training on Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation. This is an ever evolving presentation—especially with the Texas GOP roll out of their statement on LGBTQ+ individuals, which occurred this weekend. Please consider joining us Friday afternoon!

I can hardly believe it’s been 3 years since I spent a while in Maui, at beautiful being a visiting therapist. It was wonderful. Miss that magical space and wonderful people! Aloha y’all! 🌈 🍍 🌺

Caffeinated and hydrated…something exciting is coming!

Next fun news: now forming a clinical consultation group! This group is for LMSWs who are wanting to begin clinical supervisions towards obtaining their LCSW license. If this is you—let’s be in touch and see how we might work together!

The A.G. and Governor of Texas will stop at nothing when It comes to causing harm to children and to the trans community. Trans Affirming care is life saving care. Full stop. If you are interested in supporting and caring for children and teens, trans affirming care MUST be a part of the equation.

Exciting news: I’m going to be a part of this awesome Ask The Experts panel next Thursday 2/24! I’m so excited to team up with and for a great hour during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week! Join us live, Thursday 2/24 at 2p central. It’s is free and you can submit any questions when you register. I’m so excited and hope to see you there.

I might have a secret…as my favorite, Rachel Maddow, says, “watch this space!”. There are so many fun new things happening!

I’m currently out of office…but doing some of my favorite things. I’m home in the PNW, and this engagement shoot has been on the books for months. I dreamed of a winter wonderland, and gosh did I get it! We (along with our amazing photographer, ) braved the snow and COLD (like 25ish degrees) to make my dream come to life.

❄️I’m in the phase of vacation where the days blur together and life is slow. It’s snowy 🌨 and perfect. I hope you and yours are finding time to rest and recharge at the end of this wild year. Sending you each love and care 💚 Erin

I can’t believe it—it’s already time for our annual Holiday workshops. My colleague and dear friend, Laura Torres, RDLD, and I will be hosting 2️⃣ different workshops on Saturday, Nov 20, 2021. We will meet on zoom so you can attend anywhere! Holidays in Recovery is for those supporting loved ones who are perusing eating disorder and holidays may be a time for increased support. Body Peace in the Holiday Season is for people who are feeling anxious in their bodies, worried about seeing people for the first time in a while, or are wanting to experience an a non-diet approach as we near a season that is filled with diet talk and body commentary. Link in bio for more information!

Coming October 5, 2021! A 4 week virtual workshop covering boundaries and people pleasing! If you struggle with setting boundaries, needing external approval, and people pleasing—join me in October to learn some new skills to help you be more effective!

Why so happy?! Because it’s official, friends! I’m thrilled to report I’m now officially a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor! Being an LCSW-S has taken a lot of time and effort (and zoom sessions) but I am SO EXCITED to help shape and mentor the coming generations of social workers.

Attempting to focus on gratitude and thankfulness this month! School and work are busy, and I’m hoping to connect with a practice of identifying at least one thing to be thankful or grateful for each day. 🤞hopefully I’ll be able to post consistently...or maybe there will be a few posts in one day...like today. @ Austin, Texas

I spent my morning at the in Austin. It was my 6th walk, and this year I wore a different hat—I was a speaker! It’s was amazing to see so many familiar faces, yet nerve wracking to share a part of me that I don’t typically share clinically. It was a honor to be able to share in my new hometown—and I might have a smidge of a vulnerability hangover, and that is ok. If you missed it: here were the highlights:
1) Experience: I struggled for years. Many years, and never thought I was sick enough. I was in and out of treatment many times.
2) Strength: the final time I entered treatment was 8 years ago today—at in Florida. Again. But it wasn’t until I started trusting the team, doing “the work” (not “performing” recovery) but dropping my rules and expectations, and letting the team be the experts. I found recovery when I listened, let go of control and followed the advice: Res, PHP, IOP, then out patient work.
3) HOPE: FULL RECOVERY is possible. Life is not perfect but it is full and real—and I’m present for it all. Recovery isn’t about perfection or eliminating challenges—it’s change the way I/we manage them. You can do this. If you don’t know how or where to start, let me know. Reach out to . You are worth it 💚💙

I’m loving this Linda Bacon HAES “Body Liberation” training today. So great to learn and grow with my friends and amazing colleagues.

A view of the property, suite, and office

Extra early sessions this morning, but this stunning Texas sunrise made it a great way to start the day. Now...

Books for fall semester came! Trans Health and LBGT Mental Health—I’m so excited for these! Both topics are incredibly relevant to my work, and I love learning alongside some of the brightest, most compassionate and engaged LBGTQ folx I’ve ever met. Life changing!

So grateful for sweet friends to celebrate new stages of life. While we aren’t coworkers any more, our bonds remain! Connection is important, and I love these women! Who are YOU connecting with this weekend?

Ai Pono Hawaii

We are SO GRATEFUL to have had Erin K Ebert, LCSW join us for the past month on Maui. Erin provided such great knowledge and insight re: all things and as well as more specific experience with LGBTQ issues in mental health/eating disorders. MAHALO ERIN for all that you have contributed to our program - your legacy will live on at Ai Pono Hawaii along with all our other Visiting Therapists who have left their own special marks!

Mahalo to my friends and new “Ohana” at Ai Pono Hawaii. What a wonderful experience!

We are SO GRATEFUL to have had Erin K Ebert, LCSW join us for the past month on Maui. Erin provided such great knowledge and insight re: all things and as well as more specific experience with LGBTQ issues in mental health/eating disorders. MAHALO ERIN for all that you have contributed to our program - your legacy will live on at Ai Pono Hawaii along with all our other Visiting Therapists who have left their own special marks!

So I got new tattoos today from the lovely . I’d been dying for another tattoo but I spend a lot of time considering their meanings. Choosing courage over comfort is one of my favorite concepts, and as someone living with an anxiety disorder, picking comfort sometimes sounds like the better choice. But when I had the opportunity to go to and work at , I knew , not was necessary. Travel and adventure are two of my top core values, and I was NOT going to let anxiety stop me. It was scary at times, to be away from my home, my partner and my life, but I am so grateful to have spent this time here, to have met the people I have, and to be doing the work I do. helps me work through anxious thoughts. Maybe you think I’m a therapist and I shouldn’t be anxious—Or at least not talking about it...but that is exactly why I do. I’m functioning in my life and love it—and I work hard to manage anxiety. We can do hard things, we can do scary things, and we can do things while being scared and anxious. This first tattoo reminds me to choose courage over comfort—which will help me stay in my integrity and in my values. The second tattoo is as pineapple 🍍 and hibiscus 🌺 both native to Hawaii—one of my favorite places on earth, I will carry a part of it with me always. Happy Monday y’all. to my Hawaiian friends, and a BIG Aloha Y’all to TEXAS!!! @ Paia Tattoo Parlor