Ericka Surowaniec , LPC

Ericka Surowaniec is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Wisconsin with six years of clinical experience. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, addictions, and depression. Ericka speaks English and Polish and aims to make starting therapy less overwhelming for newcomers.

Her day-to-day practice has included both in-person and remote work at a medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) facility, where she provided mental health and substance use therapy. That setting gave her frequent exposure to addiction-related challenges and co-occurring mood concerns. She uses straightforward conversation to help clients name problems and set realistic goals.

Ericka uses client-centered and existential approaches. With client-centered work she listens closely and reflects what matters most to the person in front of her. Existential work opens up questions around meaning, purpose, and responsibility when people feel stuck or empty.

She also addresses related struggles such as chronic pain, illness and disability, codependency, dissociation, domestic violence, family of origin issues, guilt and shame, infidelity, isolation and loneliness, and life purpose. In practice this means exploring how past relationships and difficult experiences shape current patterns.

Sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text messaging. Ericka helps people set small, practical steps between sessions and supports them while they build coping skills and clearer direction.

How client-centered and existential work translates to online therapy

Ericka uses client-centered techniques that focus on empathetic listening and reflecting what the client says. This approach helps people feel heard and makes it easier to notice patterns in stress, anxiety, and addictive behavior. Existential therapy adds a focus on questions of meaning, responsibility, and purpose when someone feels stuck, empty, or facing big life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Ericka collaborates with each person to choose what fits their needs and goals. She checks in about progress and adjusts methods as the work unfolds so therapy stays practical and relevant.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care more flexible. Video works well for face-to-face conversation and nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and text messaging allow ongoing contact between sessions and can fit into busy days or moments when writing feels easier than speaking.