Erica Goldblatt Hyatt

BIO

Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is a university professor, administrator, and private therapist with nearly 15 years' worth of experience in the field of clinical social work. She received a Master of Social Work, Master of Bioethics, and Doctor of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently the Assistant Director of the Doctor of Social Work at Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.

An outspoken champion of women’s reproductive health, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt was most recently featured in Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania’s social media campaigns supporting Governor Tom Wolf, with whom she has spoken on many occasions on the topic of protecting women’s rights to abortion care. Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is also a commercially and academically published author, and blogs for a variety of websites about abortion, mental health, and coping. Her book for teens, Grieving for the Sibling You Lost: A Teen’s Guide to Coping with Grief and Finding Meaning After Loss (New Harbinger Publications, 2015) is the first self-help book of its kind for adolescents who have experienced the loss of a brother or sister.

Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt’s clinical work centers around the universal human experience of death, dying, and bereavement. She works from a cognitive and narrative perspective, encouraging her clients to tell their stories of loss while also helping them to explore areas where they might benefit from challenging their current perspectives. Using humor, empathy, and non-judgmental approaches, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt considers all elements of a client’s life experience to create a unique, effective and beneficial treatment plan. Her practice is centered on the assumption that we can create personal meaning from our experiences and move from beyond isolation and fear. She is particularly passionate about creating safe spaces for women who have ended a wanted pregnancy due to fetal anomaly, though she is skilled at working with all areas of pregnancy loss as well as infertility. Finally, she is an expert helping individuals coming to therapy with a fear of death.

Philosophy

Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt uses narrative, cognitive behavioral, existential, and humanistic approaches to get at the heart of the client's experience. She believes that every story has value, and that we can always question and change our narratives. She also follows the philosophy that every individual is capable of growth and change, and is honored to serve as an empathic, self-aware guide on this journey. Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is never afraid to talk about difficult topics, or even subjects that most people would never discuss due to shame, stigma, and fear. Despite the seriousness of the reasons why clients come to therapy, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt strives to use humor, guided reflection, and calming and soothing strategies to alleviate the distress of talking about hard things.