Erica’s Story

Shortly after meeting Erica Streisslberger, a word quickly comes to mind: determination. Born with an intellectual disability, Erica has often been told what she supposedly can’t do. But she won’t let anything, or anyone, hold her back from reaching her goals.

“I have the mentality that, if you think I can’t do something, I’m going to prove you wrong,” says Erica. “I’ve known since the beginning that I was going to make a name for myself. In high school, I worked on the yearbook committees and ran for valedictorian. I wanted to help give more people a voice and show them that if I could do something, they could too.”

Erica’s family doctor referred her to CAMH, where she underwent counselling with a social worker and started dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). DBT is an evidence-based model of therapy that helps people learn and use new skills and strategies so that they build lives they feel are worth living. It was determined that Erica was living with major depressive disorder. More recently, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as well.

It was at a CAMH Foundation fundraising event that Dr. Yona Lunsky, Director of CAMH’s Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, first heard Erica speak about her lived experience with an intellectual disability and mental illness.

The Azrieli Centre is the only research centre of its kind in Canada dedicated to studying and improving care for adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and mental health challenges. Scientists at the centre partner with CAMH clinicians, trainees and patients and family advisors to improve outcomes for a population that has slipped through the cracks for far too long.

A major project that Erica contributed to was the ECHO Ontario Adult Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities program, launched in 2020. The ECHO Program?—run jointly by CAMH and the University of Toronto?—offers interactive virtual education to health care providers from across Ontario to gain skills, knowledge and confidence in working with different mental health patient populations.

Life is full of ups and downs and, sadly, in November 2021, Erica’s mother passed suddenly. It was a shock to her and her family. Her mom didn’t let on how poor her health or mental health had become. Understanding how her mom must have been hurting has strengthened Erica’s resolve to advocate for those with mental illness.

“It’s been incredibly difficult, but the memory of my mom inspires me every day. She was always helping people to find their voice and show them they can do things for themselves—especially young adults with challenges. That’s the approach I take with my work now with seniors. It was in my blood.”

Erica’s life and mental health has changed significantly since her mother’s passing. Working throughout the pandemic also took its toll. As she receives grief counselling, her goal remains to help those struggling and hopefully one day open her own long-term care home with a mental health hospital connected, so her clients don’t have to go far for treatment.

When asked what No One Left Behind means to her, Erica says, “We all have something to offer. We just have to stick together and support one another.”