Erin Olivo

Information

Erin Olivo , Ph.D., MPH, is the author of Wise Mind Living: Master Your Emotions, Transform Your Life and licensed clinical psychologist with more than 25-years of experience treating patients and executive clients.

 

In addition to her role as Co-Founder and Executive Clinical Director at the Center for Wise Mind Living, Dr. Olivo is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology at Weill Cornell Medical College. From 2004-2016 she held a faculty appointment at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. During her time at Columbia she served as the Director of the Columbia Integrative Medicine Program, where she oversaw research trials focused on the impact of mindfulness meditation on chronic and acute illnesses such as cardiac disease and breast cancer.

Dr. Olivo earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Duke University. She earned Master’s Degrees in both Public Health and Social Work and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Clinical Psychology all from Columbia University. Dr. Olivo also has intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Clinical Hypnosis.

Dr. Olivo works with adults and teenagers who are experiencing difficulties dealing with stress, depression, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, chronic illness or problems such as self-destructive behavior, addictions, and over-eating.

Dr. Olivo also offers personalized coaching services to executives and organizations. She works with individual clients and teams to enhance effectiveness and productivity, improve communication skills, increase emotional intelligence and promote work/life balance.

Dr. Olivo’s approach is solution-focused and draws from the philosophical traditions of mindfulness, positive psychology, cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. She teaches mindfulness-based exercises and lifestyle skills to help change the way you think, feel, and behave in situations where stress or difficult emotions arise. She teaches her clients how to identify and manage their emotions, reduce stress, and achieve a more balanced approach to life that she calls Wise Mind Living.

 

Click here for a glossary of terms used throughout the website, along with recommended reading and links related to Wise Mind Living.

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Erin Olivo, PhD

Erin Olivo, (Oh-leave-oh) Ph.D., MPH, is an author and licensed clinical psychologist with more than 25-years of experience treating patients dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.

Although Erin loved science as a kid, it was her experience volunteering at the local hospital that had the greatest impact on her professional career. She witnessed firsthand how little things could make a big difference in a patients’ stay. Because of that, she made sure to spend extra time with those who were lonely or just wanted to talk. The hospital was also where Erin learned how multi-disciplinary healthcare worked and that everyone on the health-care team, from the doctor to the social worker, played a part in a patient’s recovery.

By her sophomore year at Duke University, Erin made the decision to become a medical social worker. She had also developed an interest in the mind-body connection and integrative medicine, and experienced first hand how thoughts affected the mind.

Nine years later—after receiving a masters degree in both public health and social work, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, all from Columbia University– she brought her interests and experiences together to take on a leadership role at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

 

From July 2004 to July 2008, Erin was the Director of the Columbia Integrative Medicine Program, where she oversaw research trials that involved teaching mindfulness meditation to cardiac surgery patients, people with chronic cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer patients. The results found that mindfulness meditation improved their overall quality of life, and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression.

In July 2011, Erin released Free Yourself from Anxiety (Sounds True), a 2-disc CD/audio program of guided mindful meditations that help transform the experience of anxiety and promote a life of wholeness and balance. She also wrote a series of articles on stress management techniques for O: The Oprah Magazine and Oprah.com and she writes a blog for Psychology Today.

Erin’s first book, Wise Mind Living: Master Your Emotions, Transform Your Life, was published in 2014, along with her audio program, Living In Wise Mind: Practices to Master Your Emotions and Transform Your Life.

Erin has maintained a private psychotherapy practice in Manhattan since 2002. She works with adults and teenagers who are experiencing difficulties dealing with stress, depression, anxiety, unhealthy relationships, chronic illness or problems such as self-destructive behavior, addictions, and over-eating. In 2018, together with her long time colleague Mark Wilson, MD, she co-founded the Center for Wise Mind Living, a group psychotherapy practice that offers strengths-based, results-oriented treatment. For more information you can visit the website at www.centerforwisemindliving.com

Erin’s treatment approach is solution focused.

She draws from the philosophical traditions of mindfulness, cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. Erin teaches patients how to identify and manage the emotions that might be getting in the way of achieving your goals so they can live a balanced life. She provides mindfulness-based exercises and lifestyle skills to help you make wise mind living choices to change the way you think, feel, and behave in situations where stress and anxiety arise. Then Erin gives practical instruction in putting it all together to manage your emotions for health and well-being.

Erin lives in New York with her husband Adam and son Grady.