Outside of therapy, I enjoy finding my “glimmers” and try to fill my week with quality time with loved ones, playing/walking with my dog, Noodle, exploring and supporting local shops and restaurants, swimming, hiking/being outside, reading horror/thrillers, singing karaoke, sending cards/care packages, cooking and baking, and crafting.

I created Through the Pavement to foster the deep healing work therapy can offer. Just like weeds defiantly growing through concrete, I believe that our innate and cultivated resiliency helps us survive and grow through tremendously difficult barriers. My expertise is in working with individuals who have experienced or are experiencing trauma related to their childhoods, relationships, and sexual harm. If you have or are experiencing harm related to these issues, please know that you are not broken and that healing is possible. I primarily specialize in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, an empirical therapeutic modality, to heal the emotional wounds caused by these events. My approach is empathetic, relational, and direct. In addition to EMDR Therapy, I adaptively utilize other various modalities (including ACT, mindfulness, parts-work, and harm reduction) to address your unique goals and needs. 

My path to becoming a therapist was a little more unconventional than most. Unlike starting my career as a Psychology major, I started studying International Relations with a focus on Human Rights. Holding space for the trauma endured through horrific events and resiliency shown in challenging times has always been an important part of my work. It wasn’t until my own therapy journey that I began to honor the ways in which my own resiliency has supported me through adverse life and childhood experiences. Therapy was also the space where I could bravely acknowledge the coping strategies that were no longer helpful, give myself permission to compassionately grieve, and move forward in a manner aligned with my values. 

Hi, I'm nicole!

I earned my Master’s in Social Work, with a Clinical Concentration, at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. I also completed the Beatrice Mayer Violence Prevention Program, with a focus on sexual and domestic violence. I have volunteered for various Rape Crisis Centers, including Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) and Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR), in community outreach, victim advocacy, and helpline counseling roles. I have experience working in a variety of settings, including residential programs and community health centers, and have witnessed and honored the multifaceted nature of trauma and resiliency in these settings.