Erin Mausisa Bolick
she/her

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Title: Associate Clinical Social Worker
Languages Spoken: English and Spanish
Affiliations: San Francisco Unified School District; Kababayan
​Approach: Strengths-based, Grief, Solution Focused Therapy, Brief Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness

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Erin is mixed with Filipina and white. Her mom was born in Manila, Philippines and her father is from New Jersey. Erin’s mother immigrated to San Francisco with her older sister when she was six years old, being separated from her mother for several years. ​

Erin grew up with the Filipina side of her family in their family’s house in Haight Ashbury. ​Starting at the age of twelve Erin suffered the loss of three young tragic deaths in her family in a span of four years, including one suicide. Being raised in a Filipino Catholic family and trying to heal from the impacts of young death, and specifically suicide, brought Erin years of pain. It was the process grieving and healing from the loss by suicide, along with her work with children and their famlies that led her to move into the mental health profession.
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After eleven years as a classroom teacher in both elementary and high school, Erin began her journey towards becoming a therapist when she made a transition into Restorative Practice, working with the Social Worker in the School Wellness Center. Erin found the need to be part of leading and creating healthy and restorative school communities, which became a passion of hers. Her professional and personal experience influenced her decision to return to grad school to complete her Masters in School Social Work. Erin is starting her nineteenth year in San Francisco Unified School District. This is her third year as a School Social Worker. 

I was raised around a lot of religion and spiritual influences. My father is a Buddhist and my Lola, a devout Catholic. My Lola was a widow, single mother, and immigrant before she turned forty. She also lost three children of her own. Death was a big part of her young life. Like my Lola, death was and is a big part of my life. Growing up I lived in my Lola’s home, where she kept many altars all over her house. Stories of the dead, and keeping them alive were part of my childhood. I have incorporated these practices into my mental health work.

I found Aztec dance when my Lola died in 1998, and I have taken that on as my spirituality and “church.” In addition to my dance prayer I  found my own healing through different somatic modalities; therapy, yoga, copal, altars, story telling, and working with youth and families. I believe that there are many non-traditional modalities of therapy that can be incorporated with talk therapy. Connecting with our ancestors, and building on our strengths and personal experiences through these modalities can be one way to start healing and creating a stronger sense of self.