About the Erica Foundation

The Erica Foundation (in Swedish Ericastiftelsen) is a non-profit foundation founded in 1934. Since then we have been working tirelessly to help and support children and adolescents.

The Erica Foundation combine mental health treatment, psychotherapy and psychosocial support with education, research, and method development, with a focus on children, youth, and young adults with mental health problems. This broad perspective is rare, which is why the foundation is one of the world leaders in the field.

We conduct psychotherapeutic and/or integrative treatment for children and young adults aged 0-24, as well as supportive psychosocial and pedagogical activities for the same age group. Many of the children and young adults who seek the Erica Foundation’s help have complex difficulties affecting several areas of life.

The interventions offered at the Erica Foundation are designed as specialized care or psychosocial and pedagogical support. The design varies depending on the problem, assessment, necessary effort, and form of financing. The interventions are tailored to individual needs. Relatives such as family, emergency – and family homes as well as schools and other networks are always involved in the efforts if deemed appropriate.

Research and method development are integrated in the organization, both independently and in collaboration with other universities and organizations in Sweden and internationally.

The Erica Foundation is one of three institutions in the country that have been approved by the state to conduct education that leads to a degree in psychotherapy with a focus on children and youth. In addition, related training is offered for professionals in health care, social services, schools and other areas throughout the country.

Our Organizational Strategy

Our vision is that all children and adolescents shall get access to the support they need.

We reach our vision by providing psychotherapeutic and psychological treatment, psycho-social support and pedagogical activities to children and adolescents in vulnerable environments. We also provide specialized training for professionals in psychotherapy, pedagogical and supportive methods, and associated subjects like understanding and treating trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, and psychosocial problems. We are specialized in trauma (violence and sexual abuse), depression, anxiety, suicidality, and HBTQi.

We achieve our mission by performing the following activities:

  • We offer clinical services to children and adolescents in need.
  • We provide psychosocial support in situations other societal instances have failed to reach.
  • We conduct research and develop methods to strengthen and amend our clinical activities.
  • We offer support, advice and education to parents, caregivers and professionals.
  • We raise awareness about mental health among children, youth, and young adults.
  • We are a voice and a champion for children, youth, and young adults within the scope of the Erica Foundation’s purpose and expertise.

Ericastiftelsen is a value-driven organization, and the perspective of the individual child/adolescent is central in all activities. We strive to provide children and adolescents with the abilities to live a dignified life and have their needs met on their own terms. We design interventions in close collaboration with the child/young person.

Ericastiftelsen has the legal form of a foundation (“stiftelse”, according to Swedish law) and is a non-profit. We have no religious nor political ties.

Our History

Hanna Bratt founded the Erica Foundation in 1934. Together with Gunnar Nycander, a highly respected medical doctor, the former teacher realized her vision of a children’s organization that would pioneer new methods for treating children that society had given up hope on.

In the beginning Hanna and Gunnar combined pedagogic supportive interventions with specialized psychotherapy (and warm chocolate!) to develop new forms of treatment for children with mental health problems. They were heavily opposed to society’s view on children as static and soulless; instead, they saw children as individuals with their own needs and rights. And these individuals were not hopeless, they could be helped with the right tools and methods, which included both the parents and school staff to play big parts.

Their constant curiosity and enterprise spirit made them continue their efforts to find new ways to help children and adolescents with mental health difficulties. To spread their methods, in 1937, they started a college for psychotherapy specialized in children and youth. Gunnar Nycander also started a research department and was later honored with the title professor of psychotherapy for his work at the Erica Foundation.

Since the start thousands of children have received help, care and/or psychotherapy from the Erica Foundation and approximately one thousand students have been taught psychotherapy, to this day.

Contact

Phone: 08-402 17 60

E-mail: info@ericastiftelsen.se