Developmental Therapist Grows Career with Infant Mental Health

When Rachel Herrera (MS 2004) completed her BA in psychology, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. “I didn’t have a lot of guidance or support. I was the first in my family to go to college. There is not a lot you can do with just a BA in psychology. I ultimately took a role as a DCFS case worker,” Herrera said. “It was hard stuff; it was very heavy.” She spent two years in that position partnering with families, children, schools and social workers. “Through that experience I really found my love of working with children.”

Later, she moved into a role as a service coordinator (case manager), where she partnered with families who had children that were showing a delay. This role afforded her the opportunity to go directly into homes and work closely with families, something she developed a passion for over time. “This was the first time that I really learned what early intervention was. When I was working as a service coordinator, I went back to get my master’s.” In 2004, Herrera completed her master’s in child development with a specialization in infancy. She then went on to take what she calls a ‘natural step’ into becoming a developmental therapist. Since completing her master’s degree, Herrera has proudly worked as a developmental therapist for more than 15 years.

Herrera works with children from birth to age 3—focusing on cognitive and social emotional development. “I like to describe my role to parents as a preschool teacher in a home setting.” Herrera says she likes to take a big picture perspective when it comes to development.

“I look at social development, how are they developing their motor skills, language skills, how are they learning? I really try to bring the lens of understanding all the factors in a family’s life…the community, the history, the relationships and how that impacts a child’s development.”

After 14 years, Herrera found she was hungry for even more knowledge. As someone who has always loved learning, she was at a point in her career where she realized it was time to explore something new. She returned to Erikson in 2018 to obtain a certificate in infant and early childhood mental health.

“As a developmental therapist, we are focused on milestones. When did they start walking, when did they start talking, what skills does a child need to have to be pre-school ready?” Herrera says. “I’ve always been a relationship-based therapist, even before I did the certificate. It was always important to me. When you go into a home, you need to be able to develop a relationship. The program digs deep into building relationships between a parent and a child. I was able to build on my experience and go forward in my work.”

After completing her certificate in 2020, she was able to make a big pivot that she long desired. “I wanted to shift, taking all the knowledge I attained and use it in a different way,” Herrera said. “It’s been wonderful coming out of the certificate program and having this whole new world of consulting open up to me. I didn’t know I would go into consulting; I just knew I needed something new in my life.”

As an infant and early childhood mental health consultant, Herrerra partners with birth to 3 home visiting programs. “I meet with staff to offer reflective supervision to really talk about their celebrations and challenging parts of our work.”

The skills she obtained early on in her career continue to stick with her. “Over 15 years, I developed active listening skills and social emotional intelligence. I am still using the lens of being a developmental therapist. I now support other adults who support children and families. There is so much more to child development than just the child themselves. Erikson prepares you to understand how the relationship of the child within the context of their family is truly the biggest factor in child development.”

Herrera also continues her work as a developmental therapist part-time. “I do it because it’s important for me to stay grounded.”

To learn about Erikson’s new Master of Science in Early Childhood Education (MSECE) Early Intervention with a focus on Infant Mental Health, visit the Early Intervention web page