Nicole Ambrose
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
“Helping Adults Explore the Connections Between Their Mind & Body to Heal From Trauma & Stress so They can Evolve as Their Most Authentic Self." 

Young Adult Individual Counseling (Age 18-25):

This period of time in life can be particularly challenging. The transition from teenage years into young adulthood can be rough. In fact, the word “transition” is a good one to describe this chapter in life. A transition from high school to college. A transition from your family home to your own place. A transition from part time work to a full time career.

Many of the relationships we have go through a transition during this phase as well. Some friends drop off and new ones develop. Romantic relationships can become more intense as you mature and discover what’s important to you. That’s a lot to adjust to!! Now add anxiety and self esteem issues on top of it and it can feel like your life is falling apart.

This is a time when therapy can be incredibly helpful! When everything around you is changing and you’re faced with some difficult decisions about the direction you’re taking your life in, therapy can be a grounding point for you. It’s a space to unload your stress and work through it with support, understanding, and gentle guidance if needed.

I can help you learn healthier coping strategies to manage anxiety and stress. I can help you uncover unhelpful cycles of thinking that undermine your confidence and interfere with your happiness and your relationships with other people. I can help you create habits and routines that make adulting easier to handle. Together, we can figure out who you are, how you fit into this world, what your goals are, and how to achieve them!

Adult Individual Counseling (Age 26+):

Making the decision to begin therapy, especially later in life, can take time. Often I hear from people that they have considered therapy for several months and sometimes years before making the call to me. I think this is partially because it’s hard committing and investing in ourselves and our healing at times. Life gets really busy! Other responsibilities get in the way. Maybe you’ve had a not-so-great experience in therapy in the past. Or maybe you’re just not totally convinced it can help. Whatever the case may be, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, out of control, unhappy, or unfulfilled you are a great candidate for therapy. 

My expertise as a therapist is in anxiety, stress, trauma, and self esteem issues. I’m here to help you better understand your story, heal from past experiences, clarify your values, needs, and boundaries, and align yourself with what brings you happiness and contentment. While I’ve worked in many different areas of the mental health field, I have honed my practice in these areas because I’ve found that they not only often overlap with each other but they also really interfere with one’s ability to function in life. 

In our work together, you can count on having a secure and nonjudgmental space to unpack the things you’ve been holding on to. I can help you process and heal from what you’ve been through and bring awareness to patterns that perpetuate problems in your life. I can teach you new strategies for coping in a healthy way. I can offer support and guidance around stressors that you’re facing. I can help you recognize your internal strengths and rediscover your self confidence. It’s a beautiful process to witness when a person comes in feeling lost and leaves feeling secure and empowered. This can be you!

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EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing): 

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I offer specialized sessions using EMDR therapy, an evidenced-based method for those with trauma, anxiety, OCD, and phobias. EMDR uses the brain’s natural ability to adapt and resolve issues as a means of healing.

EMDR is unique in that it allows you to process difficult memories and experiences without requiring you to talk in great detail about the issue - avoiding the potential for re-traumatizing yourself throughout the healing process. When you experience distress and/or trauma, your body’s stress response is triggered and you begin to form associations. These associations become your beliefs and shape your view of yourself and the world around you.

With EMDR, we process your experiences in a way that allows you to reduce the emotional response you have and develop a new understanding of yourself and your trauma. The goal is not to relive your trauma, but to focus on the mark it has left on your self concept. Through bilateral stimulation and processing, you will adapt your perspective in a way that releases you from the intense emotions and issues that prevent you from moving forward - things like grief, guilt, shame, fear, anger, resentment, rejection, abandonment, control etc.

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EMDR therapy is not for everyone right away. You may need to start with developing healthy coping strategies and creating some stability in your life before you’ll be a good candidate for this type of therapy. In our work together, we can discuss and develop a treatment plan that will meet your needs and provide you with the best outcomes.

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Integrative & Holistic Medicine Education & Support: 

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A significant focus of my work is on the mind-body connection. There is a bi-directional relationship between our mental and physical health - meaning that each has an influence on the other.

It’s my belief that for the best results in mental health therapy we have to consider the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. By making changes to your sleep routines, nutrition, exercise/movement habits, and developing some sort of spiritual practice (whatever that means for you), you CAN improve your mental health in a natural way. Stress is a major precursor to disease in the body. It breaks down your immune system, causes dysregulation in your digestive system, and negatively impacts your brain’s functioning.

Working with me, we will use a whole-body approach to create interventions that are going to be best for you. I will give you the tools to integrate into your life outside of our sessions to begin healing your body and mind. I provide education and guidance for developing practices of self nourishment, self love, and self connection.

You’ll learn ways to regulate your emotions using your breath, what foods can help reduce and manage anxiety and stress in the body, and other mind-body strategies that can create a sense of peace and tranquility in your life.