Dr. Erin Hunter, Ph.D., has accepted the position of permanent director of the University Center for Child and Family (UCCF) at the Mary A. Rackham Institute (MARI). Dr. Hunter has been the interim UCCF director since February 2020. In that time, she guided UCCF through the unknown during COVID-19 and led the effort to ensure client and staff needs have continued to be met. Her permanent appointment was effective beginning April 2, 2021.
“We are so excited to be able to welcome Dr. Hunter as the permanent director of UCCF,” said Dr. Bruno Giordani, Ph.D., senior director of the Mary A. Rackham Institute at the University of Michigan. “Her leadership as interim director was key in helping our Institute get through the worst of the pandemic. Her work ensured that families could continue to receive the highest quality care. We are looking forward to seeing how her special blend of accessible, compassionate, and strategic leadership will help our organization evolve in the coming years.”
How Dr. Hunter Came to UCCF and Her Evolving Role
Dr. Hunter came to UCCF in 2010 as a postdoctoral fellow with U-M Department of Psychology and MARI. In 2013, she joined the MARI staff as a clinician. She has been a driving force in child clinical training and in recognizing the unique needs of neurodiverse children and adolescents and their families, particularly through the transition into young adulthood.
In addition to leadership, supervision and other responsibilities, Dr. Hunter provides evidence-based psychotherapy (e.g. PMT, CBT, ACT) to children, adolescents and their families for a range of psychological issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, behavior problems, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr. Hunter particularly enjoys supporting healthy family communication and relationships as well as work with LGBTQIA+ youth and families.
“I am honored and excited to be able to continue in my leadership role at UCCF,” said Dr. Hunter. “While this past pandemic year has been intense and challenging, I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish as a team and our ability to support one another and our clients through it all. I look forward to continuing to develop innovative and effective ways to meet the needs of UCCF staff and clients — though I admit to being ok if there are no additional global pandemics to deal with in our future.”
Education and History
Dr. Hunter graduated with a Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington, Seattle and completed her internship at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She has held roles in psychology instruction as well as a family-based research. In addition to awards during her graduate and postdoctoral training, she received a MARI Staff Award for Exceptional Commitment to Supervision and Patient Care in 2017.
A Reassuring Voice with Practical Advice for Families During a Pandemic
Dr. Hunter has been a guiding voice for many families in the pandemic as a clinician, but also as a media resource. In the past year, she has appeared on PBS DPTV, Channel 7 News, NPR – Michigan Radio, and in publications such as Metro Parent to provide advice on dealing with pandemic-related emotions. She also led the development of infographic resources like 10 Tips for Managing Anxiety in Uncertainty and How to Survive a Difficult Day as a Pandemic Parent as well as resources like the Kids, Parents, and Coronavirus: Common Anxieties, How to Recognize them and 10 Strategies to Address them overview.
The MARI staff, trainees, and volunteers welcome Dr. Hunter in her new position!
About the Center for the Child and Family (UCCF) at Mary A. Rackham Institute
The University Center for the Child and Family (UCCF) is part of the Mary A. Rackham Institute at the University of Michigan. UCCF offers clinical services to children and families, including individual, family and group therapy; assessments and testing for common neuropsychological diagnoses; testing and therapy for children with autism; and free or low-cost community workshops.
For more information, see: mari.umich.edu/uccf or contact us at (734) 615-7853.
MARI is also home to the University Psychological Clinic, which provides mental health care and testing for those 18-years and older, and the University Center for Language and Literacy (UCLL), which provides speech and language therapy and reading interventions for children and adults