New Private Practice: Therapy Services | Anchorage, Alaska

Greetings friends, colleagues, and community,

I am delighted to announce my transition into private practice at Stellar Insight Counseling!

My practice is currently accepting adult clients seeking individual therapy via telehealth. I also offer in-person nature-based walking therapy in Anchorage. Details on how to get started as a client can be found here.

In addition to individual therapy, I also provide group therapy covering topics such as women’s trauma support, parent/caregiver skills, and various psychoeducation groups. Learn more about the groups I offer here.

About me and my services:

I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 2020, after completing my Bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Alaska Pacific University in 2018.

As a master’s level pre-licensed psychotherapist under supervision of a board approved supervisor (Dr. Hannah Ekstrom, License #196093), I am not able to bill or accept insurance at this time; I am only able to accept private-pay clients. If you wish to learn more, please read here.

My clinical work focuses on following issues and populations:

1) Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorders

Seasonal Affective Disorder (also called “SAD”) and depression are well known among Alaskans.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are some of the modalities I use to treat mood disorders.

2) Chronic Illness and Disability

Living with a chronic illness, disability, temporary or lifelong disability can add additional stressors in daily life.

Chronic illness can often be dismissed by healthcare providers or may be misdiagnosed— especially  for women. In my practice, I do not pathologize pain or the negative experiences disability discrimination leaves on the psyche.

3) Habit Change Goals and Life Transitions

I use motivational interviewing and behavioral activation when clients are seeking to improve their lives and meet goals whether for their career, relationships, finding purpose, or health.

My work supports clients who are re-adjusting to life transitions such as coping with a new medical diagnosis, relationship/marriage difficulties, college, expecting a new child, career changes, grief, and more.  

4) Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Grief

Prioritizing a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to process trauma and find their resilience is vital in my approach.

Evidence-based interventions I use include Internal Family Systems (IFS), narrative therapy, nature-based walking therapy, mindfulness, expressive art therapy, and music therapy.

5) Parenting Skills

Whether parents are struggling with: managing stress, a “difficult teenager,” coping with a child’s medical diagnosis, feeling like a “failure” as a parent, or healing prior trauma, individual or group psychotherapy services can help.

Parents or caregivers of children with mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD) face unique experiences in their parent-child relationship(s) and home life. I provide psychoeducation around trauma and mental health in youth while sharing supportive caregiving skills to parents to try.

I use interventions from the ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency) Framework, Parenting with Love and Limits, though I use whichever approach best fits with the needs of the client and their family system.

6) Relationship Issues

Whether the relationship a client needs help with is an intimate partner, friend, colleague, parent, sibling, or chosen family, I’ve noticed many clients benefit (and enjoy) from receiving psychoeducation and counseling around their attachment styles.

I use the attachment style theory framework and skill development around healthy communication, identifying and maintaining boundaries and relationship needs, healthy conflict, identifying abuse, and replacing behaviors such as co-dependency and people-pleasing with healthy behaviors through individual therapy.

I enjoy working with a range of clients: everyone is welcome here! 

I am LGBTQ2IA+ friendly, serving adults and seniors, people of color, people of any body size, nerds, punks, former gifted kids, and people who seem to always be taking up a new hobby (while ignoring the perfectly good hobby they already have at home).

As a human/therapist with ADHD, I am ADHD/Autism affirming when working with clients. Embracing neurodiversity is more liberating than masking it. 

If you know anyone who might be a good fit with the services I provide, I would be honored if you referred them to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my new professional endeavor through Stellar Insight Counseling!

Warmly,

Nicole

I am thankful to live, work, and play on lands traditionally cared for by the Dena’ina Ełena cultural group.