Erika London Bocknek

Erika London Bocknek, PhD

Erika London Bocknek, PhD is a fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Masters degree from the University of Connecticut, a PhD from Michigan State University, and postdoctoral training from Louisiana State University and Michigan Medicine. Erika has extensive experience working with individuals, couples, and families in a variety of settings in Connecticut, Michigan, and Louisiana including private practice, schools and early childhood centers, an inpatient substance treatment center, an outpatient university hospital, and a naval base.

At the Relationship Institute, Erika specializes in work with couples facing important early lifecycle transitions including cohabiting, engagement and premarital, newly married, and early parenting couples. Erika supports couples in a process of developing improved communication and emotional connectivity so that each partner feels empowered to resolve conflict and increase intimacy. Issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse may be particular stressors Erika works with her clients to manage. In addition, Erika specializes in the parent-child relationship and has intensive training in early child development. In this capacity, Erika is available for long-term treatment relationships around such presenting concerns as postpartum depression as well as shorter term treatment and coaching sessions related to problem behaviors in infants and toddlers, including sleeping and feeding issues, toddler temper tantrums, toddler biting and hitting, and new sibling/family transitions.

Dr. Erika is a university professor, family therapist, and mom of 3. She holds a master’s degree in Couples and Family Therapy, a doctorate in Child Development, and two postdoctoral fellowships in Child Psychiatry and Infant Mental Health. She is the Associate Editor of the Infant Mental Health Journal and serves on the editorial boards of Adversity and Resilience Science and Infancy. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed research papers and book chapters for professional audiences, and she has also written articles for parents that have been seen in PBS Newshour, Marketwatch, the San Francisco Chronicle, and K’veller.

Erika works out of our Royal Oak office. To contact Erika regarding her therapy services, call (248) 546-0407 or send an email to: info@relationship-institute.com