Dr. Helen Erikson PhD is a professional nurse as well as an educator. Her personal and professional experiences led to the development of the concepts of Modeling and Role Modeling (MRM) as a theory. These concepts were not only influenced by her work as a professional nurse, but also by her connections with her father-in-law, Dr. Milton H. Erikson MD. Dr. M.H. Erikson was well known for his unorthodox methods, views on human nature, and clinical results. As Erikson launched her career, she often asked her father-in-law for guidance in “what to do and how to do it” in regards to her nursing practice. She wanted specifics such as protocols and processes that would “fix” the problems she saw in her patients. His response was to lead her on a path of discovery by not answering her questions, but by asking her to consider the client’s world. He challenged her to develop a plan and to work within the client’s world so as to utilize it as a model to be experienced. M. Erikson suggested that each client has their own view of the world and their surroundings; as healthcare practitioners the role is to help them be successful and live quality lives within that world. Erikson’s Experiences Erikson began her nursing career in 1957, similar to many nurses; working in a community hospital. She was the head nurse of the Midland, Texas, Emergency Room. After a couple of years she changed paths and became a Supervisor of Nursing at the Michigan State Home for Mentally Impaired and Handicapped. In 1960, she relocated to Puerto Rico for four years; there she was the Director of Health Services at the Inter American University. Other experiences once she returned to the United States included staff nursing, and then as a psychiatric consultant for a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Michigan Hospital’s Adult Care (Alligood & Tomey, 2010). Erikson’s academic career began as a nursing instructor, which led to becoming a Department Chair of nursing programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her academic career spans from Michigan to California as well as Texas. During this time she also maintained a private nursing practice. She is a member of multiple professional nursing societies, associations and organizations (Alligood & Tomey, 2010). Erikson’s Professional Accomplishments Erikson’s accomplishments are many. Most significant is her career, which has spanned from 1957 to the present. She has received multiple awards for her nursing leadership, her expertise in nursing education, and impact on holistic health in nursing. Of her many awards, she received multiple awards for her teaching: Amoco Foundation Good Teaching Award in 1982, Faculty Teaching Award from the University of Texas in 1990, Nursing Excellence in Education Award from Sigma Theta Tau International, Graduate Faculty Teaching Award in 1995, and the Distinguished Faculty citation from Humboldt State University in California in 2001. Of note is the Helen Erikson Endowed Lectureship in Holistic Health Nursing at the University of Texas, which was developed in her honor (Alligood & Tomey, 2010). Erikson, using her professional experiences in nursing and lessons learned from her father-in-law, developed her concepts of nursing into a framework of a theory. The initial conceptual framework started in her baccalaureate studies and then continued throughout her graduate and doctorate studies. Her conceptual framework was eventually entitled “Modeling and Role Modeling” (Alligood, 2010). Major Elements of Modeling and Role Modeling The original idea and catalyst came from Erikson’s own clinical and professional experiences, as well as her personal life experiences, including the influence of M. Erikson. By the mid-1970’s Erikson had realized her concepts in the theory model and this was then developed further throughout her education and with the influence of colleagues Maryann Swain and Evelyn Tomlin. Her first research study tested the Adaptive Potential Assessment Model (APAM). At the same time her colleagues tested the MRM concepts working with clients with a diagnosis of hypertension. This compelled a third study using the concepts of MRM with clients with diabetes (Alligood, 2010). While this was all taking place Erikson continued to research the concept of self-care in relation to disease prevention and management. The efforts of the research and study of MRM became a collaborative and team effort to establish the theory model. This included Swain’s efforts to teach the concepts of the MRM theory to undergraduate nursing students. This resulted in a book that was developed at the request of practicing nurses, student nurses and nursing faculty. The book entitled “Modeling and Role-Modeling: A Theory and Paradigm for Nursing” was produced and has been utilized by many Universities and