Dr. Erica V. Buckner, Ph.D., ACSW, LCSW, SAP Founder | Clinical Manager
Dr. E. Van Buckner, Ph.D., ACSW, LCSW, QSSW, SAP, CAMS, is an international social work clinician, behavioral health executive, educator, and research scientist with more than 20 years of clinical training, research, leadership, and practice experience. She functions from a scientist–practitioner model, integrating empirical evidence, clinical expertise, implementation science, and real-world outcomes to inform assessment, intervention, program development, and clinical decision-making.
Dr. Buckner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Louisville and both a Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from Louisiana State University. She is a former Adjunct Professor with the Tulane University School of Social Work, where she taught Diversity and Social Justice (SOWK 7130) and Integrative Capstone Seminar (SOWK 7440) within the Master of Social Work program.
Her professional framework is informed by the scientist–practitioner model and grounded in several foundational theories and perspectives, including Kimberlé Crenshaw's Intersectionality Theory, Ecological Systems Theory, the Social Work Person-in-Environment perspective, Social Learning Theory, and Vicarious Observational Learning Theory. These frameworks guide her understanding of how biological, psychological, social, cultural, institutional, and systemic factors interact to shape individual and family functioning.
Dr. Buckner has fulfilled the education, training, and practice requirements established by the National Association of Social Workers Credentialing Committee and holds the credential of Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW). She is independently licensed to practice clinical social work in Louisiana, Texas, and Washington and maintains additional social work licensure in Georgia and Ohio.
In addition to her clinical licensure, Dr. Buckner serves as a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) for the United States Department of Transportation and holds certifications as a Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) Facilitator for adults and juveniles, Certified Parenting Instructor, and Certified Anger Management Specialist (CAMS). She possesses working knowledge of ASAM Levels 1 and 2 treatment and behavioral health service delivery across multiple systems of care.
Dr. Buckner has held leadership roles across inpatient, outpatient, academic, and community behavioral health settings. She previously served as Lead Medical Social Worker, Therapist, and Clinical Intern Supervisor for the adolescent unit of a psychiatric and substance use acute treatment facility in New Orleans. She also served as Mental Health Program Director for the Mindful Men At-Promise (MMAP) Program in Louisville, Kentucky, an initiative developed in partnership with the Louisville Metro Police Department and the University of Louisville Center for Mental Health Disparities to support at-risk adolescent males through prevention, intervention, and community engagement strategies.
As a researcher, Dr. Buckner has served as Co-Lead Principal Investigator and investigator on several minority mental health and community-based research initiatives, including the Screening Aggression Violence Expression (SAVE) Project, the Community and Family Excellence Project, and the Multicultural Family Project. She currently serves as Principal Investigator for the Dagbon Digital Literacy Project in Northern Ghana, where her work focuses on assessment validation, educational outcomes, culturally responsive interventions, and international implementation science.
Dr. Buckner provides individual, family, and group psychotherapy services for children, adolescents, adults, and families and has extensive experience working with anxiety disorders, performance anxiety, social anxiety, phobias, depression, suicidality, substance use disorders, grief and loss, ADHD, behavioral concerns, anger management, family conflict, parenting stress, life transitions, self-esteem concerns, school and occupational stress, and performance and mental toughness development.
Dr. Buckner is also pursuing advanced training in clinical sex therapy and sound therapy, including training under internationally recognized sound therapist and educator Vikrampal.
Treatment Orientations and Clinical Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Exposure Therapy (ET)
- Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
- Brief Solution-Focused Therapy
- Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT)
- Grief and Trauma Intervention (GTI; groups)
- Values Clarification
- Substance Use Treatment Interventions
- Anger Management Interventions
- Parenting Interventions
- Career and Life Coaching
- Strengths-Based and Culturally Responsive Practice
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At Wise MindBody Institute, our philosophy is rooted in treating the whole person through an integrative, evidence-informed, and functional approach to mental and behavioral healthcare. We incorporate principles of functional and nutritional medicine alongside comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment methods, including semi-structured clinical interviews, standardized and comprehensive assessments, self-report measures, and, when clinically appropriate and available, the review of relevant laboratory findings such as blood and urine analyses.
Our primary goal is to establish a collaborative and therapeutic partnership with individuals and families experiencing acute and chronic mental and behavioral health challenges, including family conflict, interpersonal difficulties, emotional distress, and social or environmental stressors. Together, we identify realistic, meaningful, and attainable goals that foster motivation for change, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable, long-term treatment outcomes and overall well-being.
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The Wise MindBody Institute, subsidiaries, employees, and contractors abide by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, which reflects the commitment of all social workers to uphold the profession’s values, principles, standards, and to act ethically. Additionally, the Wise MindBody Institute, its subsidiaries, employees, and contractors abide by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Dr. Buckner is a lifetime member of The International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi); a member of the National Association of Social Workers; a newly inducted member of the Global Directory of Who's Who; and a former Rotary Global Grant recipient. She's also received several professional grants and merit scholarships, such as the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program (BHWET) and the Louisville Metro Government Innovative Grant. Prof Buckner has presented research on anxiety, depression, culturally sensitive treatment mechanisms, assessment validation, and treatment of minority mental health conditions at major conferences such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), and Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA). Prof. Buckner is the co-author of 3 peer-reviewed journal articles and the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Dagbon Digital Literacy Project in Northern Region, Ghana, West Africa, sponsored by Rotary International.
To say the least, Dr. Buckner is honored to join each client on their journey as an intentional collaborator, helping them work towards their optimal best self. Cheers & Welcome!
Licensed: LA, TX, WA, GA, OH
Modalities: Individual; Couples: Family; Groups: Workshops; Retreats; Conferences
Want to work with Dr. B.e.: https://calendly.com/wisemindbody-info/15min
Andrell Harvey, MHA, RD, LDN | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
About
Andrell combines clinical expertise with a background in fitness. After years as a wellness instructor, she pursued dietetics to offer deeper support for those at risk of preventable chronic conditions. Andrell understands the power of food not just as fuel, but as a way to feel in control, confident, and connected to your body again.
Care philosophy
Andrell brings calm, focused attention to each session. Her style is practical, thoughtful, and always rooted in your real life. She listens carefully, asks the right questions, and helps you work through challenges without pressure. As a structured thinker who brings precision to your care, she offers clear nutrition frameworks and consistent check-ins that make progress feel doable.
What to expect in your first session
In the first session expect Andrell to help co-create a plan that works for your day-to-day life. Your plan includes practical adjustments and regular check-ins to help you stay consistent and adapt as needed. With an understanding how your mental wellbeing impacts your food choices, Andrell helps you build habits that support both.
Need Dietetic Services Only: https://calendly.com/wisemindbody-info/15min
Licensed: LA, IL, OR
Duaa Alam, LMSW | Yogic | Somatic Therapist
Duaa is a therapist and case manager specializing in evidence-based mental and behavioral health, yoga, and somatic therapy, blending clinical expertise with holistic healing practices. She takes a trauma-informed, whole-person approach to support people through mental health challenges and life transitions. Duaa earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington, with a focus on mental health and substance use treatment.
Duaa integrates biofeedback, yoga, breathwork, and somatic therapies to help clients process emotions, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with themselves. She believes therapy should be a safe, empowering space where people can come home to themselves. With a deep understanding of diverse cultural backgrounds, Duaa ensures her practice is accessible, inclusive, and respectful of each client’s unique experience. She is skilled in advocacy, navigating systems of care, and creating personalized treatment plans that meet clients where they are.
Outside of work, you will find her surfing, arranging flowers, shaping pottery, or reconnecting with her cultural roots. To her, healing is not just something that happens in therapy; it is a way of living, loving, and being present for ourselves and our communities.
Somatic Therapies
Somatic therapy is a body-centered therapeutic approach that integrates traditional talk therapy with physical awareness and movement to process trauma, stress, and emotional pain stored in the body.
- Focus: It emphasizes how emotions and trauma can live in the body, not just the mind.
- Techniques: Breath awareness, humming, grounding, movement, touch (when appropriate), sensation tracking, and guided visualization.
- Used for: PTSD, chronic stress, dissociation, and emotional dysregulation.
- Popular models: Somatic Experiencing (Peter Levine), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
In short, it helps individuals reconnect with their bodies, release stored trauma, and regulate their nervous systems more effectively.
Breathwork
Breathwork refers to a range of breathing techniques used consciously to influence mental, emotional, and physical states. It's often used for stress relief, emotional release, trauma processing, and spiritual experiences.
- Types: Diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing, holotropic breathwork, coherent breathing, and alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana).
- Benefits: Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, improves emotional regulation, increases mindfulness, reduces anxiety, and can bring up suppressed emotions for healing.
- Scientific basis: Deep, slow breathing can lower cortisol levels and heart rate variability, enhancing calm and focus.
Breathwork is like a built-in nervous system reset—accessible anytime, anywhere.
Yoga
Yogic therapy (also known as yoga therapy) is a personalized application of yoga principles and practices to address physical, emotional, or psychological conditions under the guidance of a trained therapist.
- Components: Asanas (postures), pranayama (breath control), meditation, chanting, and ethical lifestyle practices from traditional yogic teachings.
- Goals: Improve flexibility, reduce pain, calm the mind, balance the nervous system, and support healing of chronic illness or trauma.
- Used for: Depression, anxiety, autoimmune conditions, PTSD, back pain, insomnia, and more.
It blends ancient wisdom with modern therapeutic insights to support holistic healing—body, mind, and spirit.
Need Somatic or Yogic Services Only: https://calendly.com/wisemindbody-info/15min
Individual, Family, & Group Therapy
Licensed: TX, HI, WA
Ingrid Kelly, LMSW | Therapist | DBT Skills Trainer | Case Manager
Helping you heal, set boundaries, and rebuild confidence—one step at a time.
Ingrid Kelly is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with a professional background in education, child welfare, and community-based mental health. She earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Tulane University and her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Texas Southern University.
She works with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship challenges, emotional distress, and life transitions. Many of Ingrid’s clients come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, struggling with boundaries, or second-guessing their thoughts, emotions, and decisions—especially after experiencing difficult, unhealthy, or emotionally harmful relationships. Through the therapeutic process, she helps clients strengthen self-awareness, rebuild confidence, create emotional safety, and develop practical tools that support growth and healing in everyday life.
Ingrid’s clinical approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), emphasizing the connection between thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relationships. She provides skills-based support in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, boundary-setting, and interpersonal effectiveness to help clients better manage challenges and develop healthier relationships with themselves and others.
Ingrid believes healing is a process that requires compassion, patience, and support. She meets clients where they are and creates a safe, collaborative space where they can move toward change, growth, and emotional wellness at their own pace.
Services: Case Management, DBT Skills Training, Individual Therapy
Need Case Management Services Only: https://calendly.com/wisemindbody-info/15min
Licensed: LA, GA
Servicing the following states with Case Management & Skills Training: LA, TX, WA, GA
Intern
Brittney Ray Thomas, MSW Candidate is a nonprofit executive, youth advocate, coach, and social services professional with more than a decade of experience serving children, youth, and families from diverse backgrounds. Throughout her career, she has led programs focused on youth development, behavioral health, education, mentorship, and community engagement, with a particular commitment to improving outcomes for underserved and historically marginalized populations.
As Executive Director of Kids R’ Giants, Brittney has developed and overseen evidence-based programs that support emotional regulation, leadership development, academic success, and positive youth outcomes. Her professional background spans nonprofit leadership, case management, coaching, special needs instruction, and managed care, providing her with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing children and families today.
In addition to her professional work, Brittney is an active member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., where she supports initiatives that promote leadership, cultural awareness, civic engagement, and educational achievement among African American youth.
Brittney is passionate about advocacy and activism, particularly in advancing equity for children, families, and minority communities. Her work focuses on addressing disparities in access to mental health services, education, housing stability, and community resources. She is dedicated to creating meaningful change through strategic partnerships, community engagement, and programs that empower individuals to reach their full potential.
Brittney is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work and remains committed to building stronger communities through service, leadership, and advocacy.