Erin Chapel

Welcome

Hi, I’m Erin—and somehow, whether through the stars aligning, a friend, family member, coworker, desperation, or a ruthless Google search, you’ve found me. I’m glad you did.

I’m a military spouse, mother of five, grandmother of five, and a therapist who has learned as much about being human through life as I ever could from a textbook. Raising five kids taught me the true meaning of unconditional love and sacrifice, the importance of picking my battles, and the value of humility, patience, and being able to laugh when life gets absurd.

It also taught me something I carry into my work every day: while 3 + 6 = 9, so does 2 + 7. There is rarely only one way to get where we need to go. Therapy should reflect that.

Helping the Helpers

I have a special place in my heart for military members, veterans, first responders, and the families who serve alongside them. Military service has been woven throughout my own family, and those experiences have given me a personal appreciation for the sacrifices that come with service—not only for the person wearing the uniform, but for the people waiting at home.

My professional work has deepened that understanding. I work extensively with members of law enforcement, fire, emergency services, and other high-stress professions throughout Nevada and California. I understand that being “voluntold” to work overtime on holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and the days that matter most isn't unusual. Neither is being expected to show up during fires, critical incidents, civil unrest, tragedy, and circumstances most people will never experience firsthand.

You show up when you’re called. Again and again.

I’m passionate about helping the helpers, and I consider it a privilege when you trust me enough to answer your call for service.

I currently serve as a clinical advisor to the Reno Fire Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Department Peer Support Teams and have previously served as a clinical advisor to the Nevada Peer Support Network. I was also the first Certified First Responder Counselor in the State of Nevada. I take those roles seriously, but I also recognize that credentials alone don't make someone the right therapist for you. I will never stop learning how to better understand and serve the people who sit across from me.

You Shouldn't Have to Explain “It”

A career in the military, law enforcement, fire service, emergency medicine, or another helping profession can change you. Sometimes those changes are subtle; sometimes they affect nearly every part of life.

Anxiety, depression, PTSI, sleepless nights, anger, strained marriages and family relationships, isolation, substance or behavioral addictions, and the feeling that no one really “gets it” are common among the people I work with.

And you're often the first ones in—and the last ones to ask for help.

One of the most important things I offer is an understanding of your culture and the world in which you work. You speak your own language. I get that. My familiarity with first responder culture, local agencies, peer support, critical incidents, and the realities of the job means we can often get to what actually brought you through my door with a lot less explaining on your part.

My office is a confidential place where you can talk about the things that are difficult to say anywhere else—the calls you can't forget, the things you've seen, the choices you're struggling with, the relationship that's suffering, the coping strategy that isn't working anymore, or simply the realization that something has changed and you're not quite sure what to do with it.

You don't need to come in knowing exactly what's wrong or what you need. We can figure that out together.

My approach is warm, direct, compassionate, and genuine. I believe some of the best therapeutic work happens somewhere between brutal honesty and genuine compassion. We'll use evidence-based approaches, including CBT, CPT, and EMDR when appropriate, while recognizing that therapy isn't one-size-fits-all.

The goal isn't to erase what you've experienced or turn you back into the person you were before it happened. Your experiences are part of your story. Our work is about processing what you've carried, developing healthier ways to cope, strengthening the relationships that matter to you, and helping you move forward with a greater understanding of who you are now.

You spend your life showing up for other people.

You don't have to do this part alone. I am here.