BIO

Eric H. Otis is the founder and president of E.H. Otis & Associates, LLC. Eric has over 25 years of experience in Education and Mental Health. Eric H. Otis is the Director of Operations and founder of E.H. Otis & Associates, LLC. His professional background and education includes over 24 years of diversified counseling experience; to include 5 years as a Middle School Counselor, over 9 years as an Elementary School Counselor, over 15 years of experience in a Title I setting, 2 years as a Dean of Student in a middle school, 8 years of progressive experience in Mental Health administration, with a Master’s of Science Degree in Counseling from Canisius College of Buffalo, NY in (2000), a Bachelors of Science degree in Health and Human Services from the University at Buffalo (1997) and an Associate in Arts degree in General Education from Coahoma Community College (1993).

 

Eric has worked tirelessly in the urban communities in Western New York, Rochester NY and Gastonia NC. His ability to communicate and connect with youth and adults makes him the perfect fit to energize his audience and promote change. Eric’s group counseling and classroom guidance experience allows him to provide highly engaging and empowering presentations for groups of all ages and diverse backgrounds. Eric has developed an unrelenting passion for helping at-risk youth and Individuals that come from economically disadvantaged communities.

 

Eric’s relational approach has afforded him the opportunity to break down barriers between students, staff and parents, in order to improve student’s achievement. This approach has enabled him to reach and teach student’s character education, life-skills, social -emotional learning and leadership skills, by looking beyond their faults in order to meet their needs. Eric has a vested interest in youth success.

 

Eric has served the Gaston County, NC community with respect and integrity for the past 20 years and is currently an Elementary School Counselor and Program Director of P.H.O.C.U.S.S. Eric understands the importance of environmental factors and the vital role they play in reaching people that come from economically disadvantaged communities. He understands that before you can improve students' academic performance, you must first reach them where they are and improve their mental health/wellness. Eric takes pride in getting to know someone and helping them to navigate through barriers that interfere with them reaching their fullest potential. His ability to foster a caring environment where empathic understanding is respected, in which, those in need feel comfortable opening up and sharing their experiences, so that he can continue to empower change!

 

Eric is seeking to work with the youth and adults that may need a second chance or individuals that somehow lost their way. Eric empowers individuals to rewrite their story and become their own narrator and change their story line to experience what success can look like. Eric teaches life-skills lessons that teach individuals about their choices have consequences and the importance of developing leadership skills and the role it plays in an individual being able to make good decisions that impacts their outcome.