Erica Ortiz-Dempler

Erica Ortiz-Dempler is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee and graduate student in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University. She is part of Pepperdine’s Aliento program, where she is completing an emphasis in Latinx Mental Health with a focus on culturally informed care. Prior to pursuing a career as a therapist, Erica worked as a filmmaker and storyteller, with much of her work exploring identity and culture.

As a first-generation Mexican-American, Erica values the ways culture, family, and lived experience shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us. Her approach to therapy is warm, curious, and collaborative. She strives to create a space where clients feel safe exploring the stories that have shaped their lives while discovering new possibilities and hopes for the future.

In her free time, Erica enjoys memoir writing, watching films, photography, spending time outdoors, and being with her husband, daughter, and cute cockapoo Chubbs.