Your Black Breastie Owner, Erica Smith Wilkerson, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW in MA; LCSW in GA, NC, and TX) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is also certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International and as a Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) by the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), the Association for Addiction Professionals (AAP).
Erica joined the field of human lactation after her own personal struggles with breastfeeding. She shares, “I was the mom who didn’t make ‘enough’ milk and the mom with ‘too much’ milk.” Her personal experiences ignited her passion for Black maternal mental health, inclusive of breastfeeding challenges, adjustment to motherhood, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). She is both personally and professionally equipped to help other mothers.
Erica earned a Bachelors in Social Work from South Carolina State University, Masters in Social Work with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Georgia, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Lactation from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Erica has federal and state government experience at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Juvenile Justice, Family and Children Services, and in University Health Systems in partnerships with local Behavioral Health agencies.
In addition to managing Your Black Breastie, Erica contracts with perinatal mental health organizations providing therapeutic services and works as a lactation consultant in a large university hospital. She lives in the Triangle area (NC) with her husband and two formerly breastfed sons. Her favorite things are eating, sleeping, and jumping in the ocean. She lives for a good brunch and 90s music day party featuring bottomless mimosas and tequila!