Erie Hebert earned undergraduate degrees in business administration from the University of New Orleans and in social work from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. He also holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California and is a licensed clinical social worker and licensed chemical dependency counselor.

His unique career path began when he fell in love with the local food and music scene in his native New Orleans. Hebert studied business, planning to specialize in the restaurant industry. That environment proved problematic, though, for someone with a family history of addiction co-occurring mental health issues. After attending long-term treatment and an extended care program, Hebert decided to join the military. He served for 10 years in the US Army, with deployments to Baghdad and Iraq. Medically retired after wounds sustained from combat action, Hebert returned to school to remake himself as a therapist.

His experience in the treatment field includes roles as a clinical director, social worker, case manager, and therapist serving populations that include active-duty and retired military personnel, domestic violence survivors, and others in residential, outpatient, and sober living settings.

The issues of addiction and trauma are intensely personal for Hebert, who has struggled with his own addictions, combat trauma, and childhood trauma. He also lost his 19-year-old son to addiction and mental illness. Through it all, his support system rallied around him, instilling in him a desire to pay that forward by serving others.

Hebert joined the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare team in early 2023 to open The Meadows Outpatient Center-Austin. Along with the administrative tasks, business functions, and supervision/mentoring of clinical staff, he will be infusing and maintaining fidelity to the Meadows Model of care with every staff interaction, group led, and individual session conducted.

“I believe that asking for help is a strength, and it is an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to positively affect someone’s life,” Hebert says.