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The Cottage Counseling
South Side - South Bend Location
Meet The Owners
Andrea Eriks
What do you like most about running a group practice?
Watching The Cottage evolve into what it has become is truly so amazing and humbling. Danika and I have learned to be so intentional about integrity and the environment integrity brings. Because we disciplined ourselves to be that, we were able to see that in others. Working with a large group of people who want the same thing genuinely creates a wonderful and collaborative workplace. I couldn't imagine doing this work in a toxic culture or an isolated place. The group is this beautiful reminder that none of us have to do such hard work alone.
If you had a title at The Cottage what would it be?
Insurance Guru. This role is so bittersweet. Insurance is such a messy and complicated world. While no part of me loves dealing with insurance issues, it is nice to generally know what to do to solve a problem.
What is your style as a therapist? What are your areas of passion?
I remember very distinctly as a child playing in my backyard and having the very profound thought, "I want to take away people's pain." It would take many years before I understood therapy is a place where I can help people find that "better place" or healing. In my experience, the relational world is a core place where people look to find that healing.
My style is centered around attachment, trauma, and sexology. In my work, I want to best understand the most intimate aspects of people's lives in a calming and present way. In my work, I move slowly and intentionally to really learn who a person or couple is and build enough trust to walk with them as they work to build self awareness and understanding which ideally then gives people the tools/resources necessary to make choices or potentially changes that will lead to growth and healing.
Danika Lowry
What do you like most about running a group practice?
Well, once a month or so I strongly consider starting a new career as a barista. For real, though, I guess what I love most is that we seem to have found this really nice balance of autonomy and support and it seems to support people in a way that lends to thriving. Watching therapists begin to find their areas of passion and expertise is just a cool thing to watch and I get a front row seat to it.
If you had a title at The Cottage what would it be?
Spreadsheet creator in chief. Crunching numbers is also my coping mechanism so it's a good role for me.
What is your style as a therapist? What are your areas of passion?
When I was in 1st grade, the teacher told my parents that I seemed more interested in observing people than the lesson being taught. Nothing has changed. I find the complexities of relationship dynamics absolutely fascinating. Passion or fixation, I'm not entirely sure.
I started working with a Gestalt therapist a few ago and that inspired me to start training in 2023. It's my therapeutic home, for sure. In short, Gestalt is all about what is happening in the here-and-now; finding a delicate balance between support and risk; and using creativity to develop experiments for clients to use to begin making change.
I offer intensive couples therapy and also enjoy individual therapy with women working to move out of codependent ways of living and loving.
