Let’s Talk About It: Mental Health in Women & Girls

Q&A with Erica Ardern, LCMHC, NCC

What made you passionate about specializing in mental health for women and girls?
I feel a deep sense of connection and community with other women by virtue of our shared experiences. Even though I work with women from all walks of life, who have experiences that differ from mine, there are certain things about which we have a shared understanding—something we don’t even need to speak to know it’s there. I’ve witnessed firsthand the amazing things women are capable of when we support and uplift each other, and I wanted my life’s work to reflect that.”

What are some of the most common mental health challenges you’re seeing right now in women and girls?
“So many mental health challenges stem from self-esteem. I regularly work with girls and women who doubt their worth and fear being seen by others as not good enough. It can show up a lot of different ways, with different combinations of symptoms, but the core issue is the same. It’s something that I feel everyone can relate to on some level.”

How do social media and comparison culture impact self-esteem and mental health?
“Oh gosh—how DON’T they impact self-esteem and mental health? Social media is the world’s biggest stage. It’s a set of platforms where people are asked to perform everything for each other all the time and then to read every review of how they did. Even if the reviews are mostly positive and there aren’t too many outright critics, we get hooked on the constant feedback from other people to inform how we should feel about things—including ourselves!

We gain so much external input that we forget how to consult with ourselves first. Humans are social creatures, hard-wired to notice the things that make people respond positively (or negatively) to us and to others, and hugely motivated to keep doing the things that allow us to remain part of the in-group. It’s one thing to get that feedback in our natural environment—it’s a whole other thing to have that much feedback at your fingertips 24/7.

Even if you’re not posting, you’re consuming feedback indirectly through taking in other people’s content and using it to evaluate your own life. It creates hypervigilant awareness of self, and particularly awareness of the ways in which you’re not measuring up against the highlight reels of someone else’s life.”

Why do so many women struggle to prioritize their own needs without feeling guilt?
“I think culturally our expectation of women can be summed up as the expectation of self-sacrifice. Sacrifice your interests so your kids can pursue all of theirs. Sacrifice your feelings to be agreeable and keep the peace. Sacrifice certain foods so your body looks a certain way. Sacrifice your needs so that you make life easier for everyone else. When women work to prioritize their own needs, they’re swimming up a stream of all kinds of expectations that they feel they won’t meet just by refusing to self-sacrifice. It makes us question whether we’re succeeding in all of the roles we occupy day-to-day, because the implicit understanding of what it means to fill the role is to become the role, and to lose the other messy bits.”

What do you love most about the work you do?
“I love watching healing happen. It’s such an amazing feeling when I get to watch a client grow into him/herself a little bit more each week, even in the moments that they can’t see it. It’s like having a front row seat to my favorite movie, and the ending brings me joy every time.”

What is something you hope every client takes away from working with you?
“I hope my clients walk away with a sense of empowerment and the knowledge that they are capable of experiencing great hardship without being defined by it.”

Erica Ardern, LCMHC, NCC, is passionate about supporting women and girls as they navigate the pressures, expectations, and challenges that can shape their mental health and sense of self. She has experience helping clients work through concerns such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, and life transitions, as well as struggles related to identity, self-worth, and relationships. She also has training in perinatal mental health, supporting individuals through concerns related to pregnancy, fertility challenges, and the postpartum period.

Erica works to create a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore what’s holding them back, reconnect with their authentic selves, and build practical tools for healing and growth. Her approach is collaborative and flexible, drawing from evidence-based therapies to meet each person’s unique needs. She is dedicated to helping clients feel more grounded, confident, and empowered, supporting them as they reconnect with their strengths and move toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

For more information about scheduling an appointment with Erica Ardern, LCMHC, NCC, please reach out to us at info@hope-wellness.com.