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Erin Andrews of Dexter at an American Psychological Association convention with her major professor, Dr. Julie Williams and a legend in the field of rehabilitation psychology, Dr. Beatrice Wright.
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Susan Andrews says her daughter Erin doesn't like to be called an inspiration. Yet, just by talking with her and hearing about her many accomplishments, it's difficult not to be inspired.
A triple amputee since birth, Erin has earned several marks of recognition in the 4-H and equestrian community as well as in school. Her passions, good nature and work ethic are all setting her up for what looks like a promising future.
"Erin is a strong, talented and lovely woman who has broken through some big barriers to reach her goals," said Susan, whose daughter has given her every right to be proud. "My husband and I feel lucky and blessed to be her parents, and she has broadened our lives in so many ways."
The Andrews family, who have six children including Erin, moved to Dexter from northern California in 1992 when she was 11-years-old. In the eighth grade, she began to ride horses when her friend Nancy Rich and Nancy's father, Lynn, figured a way to secure her to their horse, Robbie.
"This led to the building of a special saddle for Erin and our leasing and eventually purchasing our first horse, Letita," Susan said. "Erin continues to use an adapted saddle and has used various devices to get into the saddle, most often a boost from a friend."
Erin says she is proud to have bred horses of Letita's breed, calling her descendants an exemplary representative of Arabian horses. Her former duties included coaching the Dexter High School equestrian team, which she says she loved doing.
"I love working with kids and their horses," Erin said. "I think that riding can give kids a sense of responsibility and positive communication skills."
Upon her graduation from the Wright State University's School of Professional Psychology, Erin was a recipient of both the Excellence in Clinical Practice Award and Diversity Dissertation Award. Both awards proudly hang near the top of her many other accomplishments.
"It meant a lot to me that my clinical and academic work is respected by the faculty," Erin said. "My life over the past five years has been devoted to graduate school and getting my doctorate in clinical psychology."
After time at a clinical practice in a college counseling center, a rural mental health center and urban medical clinic near Dayton, Ohio, Erin moved to Florida to complete an internship. It's a year-long pre-doctoral job at the James A. Haley Medical Center in Tampa.
"I love working with veterans," she says. ""I have worked on rotations focused on health and rehabilitation, including spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain and organ transplants."
She also was involved in the International Children's Amputee Network as a mentor, spending time with kids and giving them a role model like them.
"I conducted research with this group as part of my dissertation," Erin said. "(It involved) exploring the impact of medical providers on parents of children with congenital limb differences."
Besides hoping to have her research published in the journal Rehabilitation Psychology, she says she wants to "continue to produce research which gives a voice to people with disabilities and their families."
With a focus on rehabilitation settings with disabled people, Erin plans to work clinically for a long time. She also is anxious about the work she is starting in Tampa.
"I will be working in Polytrauma with (Iraq and Afghanistan war) veterans who have multiple injuries, including traumatic brain injury," Erin said.
Whether she likes it or not, Erin will most likely continue to not only help others, but inspire them as well.
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