Erica Forbes, MA Somatic Psychology, joined the GRIP family in 2016 and currently serves as a facilitator at Avenal State Prison. Across the GRIP program, she coordinates the victims and survivors cohort outside to serve a key element of the curriculum: “understanding victim impact.” Erica is also the Area Prison Lead at the Correctional Training Facility and a Breath of Freedom facilitator. She brings her skills as a therapist and a teacher to her work with the incarcerated. 

In the larger world, Erica is committed to the work of restorative and social justice, and specifically criminal justice reform. In her personal life, she practices the teachings of Buddhism, most influenced by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Other heroes include Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Innocence Project, and Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries. 

Erica commutes from Colorado monthly to do this precious work inside the California prisons. She is continually moved by the courage and commitment of students to transform their lives from offender to peacemaker, and finds the work of GRIP more hopeful and meaningful than most of what’s happening on the outside.