Erika Austin, PhD

Erika (she/her/hers) holds a PhD in Sociology and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Latin American Studies, with a deep focus on family systems, trauma, identity development, and social-emotional well-being across the lifespan.

She is a trauma-informed parent and nervous system coach with over a decade of experience supporting parents, teens, young adults, and families through high-stress and transitional periods. Her work spans educational, organizational, and coaching settings, where she has supported families navigating challenges such as attachment disruptions, neurodivergence, grief, divorce, and ongoing relational stress.

Erika previously served as the principal of a middle and high school, partnering closely with students and families around social-emotional development, behavioral concerns, and family–school collaboration. She is also a former professor at the University of California, Irvine and Orange Coast College, and has worked in mental health and well-being at scale, including serving as a Director at Headspace.

In her coaching work, Erika supports parents in practical, real-life moments — helping them move out of survival mode and into greater regulation, confidence, and connection with their children. She works in a non-clinical coaching role and collaborates closely with clinical teams to ensure alignment with therapeutic goals. Her evidence-informed approach integrates attachment theory, nervous system regulation, somatic practices, mindfulness, IFS-informed parts work, motivational interviewing–informed strategies, and accessible psychoeducation around stress and emotional regulation.

Erika is known for her calm, grounding, and compassionate presence, balancing deep empathy with clarity and practical guidance. She is strongly aligned with Wonder’s whole-family, systems-based model and is passionate about supporting parents as they build safety, resilience, and connection within themselves and their families.

Outside of work, Erika is a mother of two daughters and enjoys walking her dogs, yoga, travel, time in nature, and practices that support grounding, reflection, and nervous system regulation.