04/05/2026
✨ Staff Spotlight: Erica Gundelfinger, Psychiatric NP ✨
We asked Erica about her work & what drives her—here’s what she had to say:
💬 Why is this work important?
“This work is important because people deserve to feel seen and not judged. Especially when they are struggling. I have worked with so many patients who felt written off or misunderstood, and that sticks with you. Mental health and addiction can take so much from someone; their confidence, relationships, sense of self, and I think it is incredibly important to be part of giving that back. Even small moments of connection or progress can mean everything.”
💬 What is your favorite part of this job?
“My favorite part is watching someone start to believe in themselves again. Sometimes it is small, like sleeping a little better or feeling a little less overwhelmed and sometimes it is big, like rebuilding relationships or finding joy again. Being part of someone’s journey from feeling stuck or broken to feeling empowered and hopeful is honestly an honor.”
💬 What do you wish more people understood about mental health or recovery?
“That it is not something you can just push through or “snap out of.” Most of the people I see have been pushing through for years and that is the problem. They have been strong for everyone else, ignoring their own needs, telling themselves it is not that bad, until it is. And even then, it does not always look like the stereotypical “falling apart.” Sometimes it just looks like being irritable, disconnected, overwhelmed, or just tired of feeling the same way every day. I wish more people understood that struggling does not mean you are weak, a lot of the time it means you have been holding too much for too long.”
💬 What advice would you give to someone starting their mental health journey?
“I would tell them that you do not have to have the right words for it yet. A lot of people wait until they can explain exactly what’s wrong or until things feel “bad enough,” but that moment doesn’t always come, or it comes way later than it should. If something feels off, if you are tired of feeling the way you have been feeling, that is enough. You can show up unsure, guarded, even a little resistant, and still get something out of it. You don’t have to fully trust the process yet; you just have to be willing to take that first step and figure it out as you go.”
💬 Favorite way to practice self-care?
“Self-care for me is about finding moments of peace in everyday life. Sometimes that looks like uninterrupted time with my kids or family, sometimes it is music or a TV series I have seen one hundred times, getting outside, or just unplugging from everything for a bit. It does not have to be fancy, it is about doing something that lets me breathe, recharge, and come back a little more grounded.”
