Nikki Williams
LPC, PhD* | Psychotherapist
Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Couples
*MA in Mental Health Counseling,
PhD in Medical Geography (@ the intersection of socio-environmental, public health, & epidemiological studies).
What would it feel like to discover wisdom, new meaning and expanded possibilities in what you’re struggling with? My desire is to see you empowered: drawing from internal strength, utilizing resources, and connected to healthy community. I’ll meet you where you are with empathy and humor.
Allow me to assist you in taking the time to notice when you feel connected to yourself and your relationships as well as what it’s like for you during times of disconnection.
Slow down and listen to yourself. Are you able to feel and identify what's going on with you in the present moment? Our histories and families provide a frame for how we understand present circumstances and lingering difficulties can be rooted in what we've experienced and how we interpret the story of our life.
I am passionate about engaging people in the practice of reconnecting to their bodies. Our bodies are a record of everything that we’ve experienced. Becoming more aware of our wholeness (body-mind-choices) gives us flexibility; the ability to work through difficult feelings and interactions with others. Flexibility invites curiosity instead of fear in getting to know yourself at a deeper level. You can find confidence in how you show up in life, trusting that your thoughts - words -actions are what you are choosing.
My specialties are:
Developmental Trauma (adult survivors of childhood trauma)
Anxiety and panic attacks
Couples in conflict, one or both with a history of developmental trauma
Depression
BIPOC trauma
PTSD/C-PTSD recovery
Relational issues and boundaries
Building healthy communication
Navigating blended families
Body image and dysmorphia
Cultivating self-care
Graduate school/academic stress
Competitive sports injury support
Grief
Transitions
The integrated modalities I use include:
EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
ETT - Emotional Transformation Therapy
IPNB - Interpersonal Neurobiology; Polyvagal theory and Attachment-based therapy
Somatic Therapy
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Bowen Family Systems
IFS - Internal Family Systems
Gottman Trained
ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
My Personal Journey:
A decade ago, being a therapist was not on my radar. I previously worked in higher education, as a professor navigating the tenure-track. Life has a way of intervening in our plans. I found myself perpetually stressed and struggling to live a life that included joy. During this time I came to realize two important truths: I loved teaching (helping others gain/use knowledge) and I was pursuing a path that I thought I should, not one that I actually wanted. That was the catalyst that led me to choose my own healing from past developmental trauma. I made a break from my family culture that expected achievement at any cost, even at the expense of physical health and mental well-being.
Healing myself lead me back to school for a MA in counseling. Today I’m honored to be an advocate, helping people embrace themselves and break the cycles that burden and/or bind them. Patterns of pain and suffering are not inevitable; small, purposeful shifts in the body and mind can produce life-altering changes.
$165 / 50-minute individual session
$180 / 50-minute couples session
Currently not accepting health insurance.
“Self-care is the constant practice of not letting more pain accumulate. It is about continually remembering that our lives are of value. It is the active process of settling our nervous systems so we have more access to the present moment.”
