Darlene Nicks profile image

Darlene Nicks

Darlene Nicks

(she/her)

LICSW
12 years of experience
Warm
Authentic
Intelligent
Virtual

Have you experienced Trauma! Have you recently gone through a relationship betrayal, divorce, infidelity, homelessness? I practice a strength based, holistic approach to therapy and use a variety of theories and techniques based on each individual's personality and needs. I believe that everyone possesses the natural ability to reach their most evolved and emotionally intelligent self, and it is my privilege to help others discover and develop their strengths and resources. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and I am licensed in the State of Alabama, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. My experience spans over 12 years working with individuals, adolescents, adults, and families struggling with addictions, work issues, domestic violence, housing insecurity, parenting issues, infertility, aging and death, mood disorders, trauma, chronic medical conditions. Together we will begin to recover balance and a sense of clarity for those struggling to regulate their emotions and self-esteem, focusing on issues of trauma, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, attachment difficulties, relationship and family issues. I encourage you to take a step of faith in connecting with me to find support for yourself!

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In our first session we will spend some time getting to know each other, and making sure that the therapeutic relationship works for you. I also be asking you some questions to figure out what caused you to seek out therapy, what your expectations of success are. We’ll likely talk about what you're struggling with and what brought you in to see me, some of your past (family history, traumatic experiences), how your symptoms or feelings are manifesting today, and how long they have been showing up. The first session will have lots of questions, and they look very different from any additional sessions, which may include homework or activities. Please feel free to tell me if you’d like to put a pin in anything that we talk about or if anything makes you feel uncomfortable. Remember I’m here to serve you!

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My niche and is helping individuals recover their self-worth and dignity, I also specialize in codependency and narcissism relationships.

About Darlene Nicks

Identifies as

Specializes in

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Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Trauma-Focused CBT

Trauma-Focused Therapy is a specific approach to therapy that recognizes and emphasizes understanding how the traumatic experience impacts an individual’s mental, behavioral, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. This type of therapy is rooted in understanding the connection between the trauma experience and the individual’s emotional and behavioral responses. The purpose of trauma-focused therapy is to offer skills and strategies to assist you in better understanding, coping with, processing emotions and memories tied to traumatic experiences, with the end goal of enabling you to create a healthier and more adaptive meaning of the experience that took place. Trauma-focused (TF) psychotherapy uses different techniques to help people process traumatic experiences. Some involve visualizing, talking or thinking about the traumatic memory. Others focus on changing unhelpful beliefs about the trauma or use of creative arts, movement, or music therapies. TF therapies usually last about 8-16 sessions but may take longer depending on the client.

Acceptance and commitment (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT therapy) is a type of mindful psychotherapy that helps you stay focused on the present moment and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment. It aims to help you move forward through difficult emotions so you can put your energy into healing instead of dwelling on the negative. The six core therapeutic processes in ACT are contacting the present moment, diffusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values, and committed action. ACT highlights the ways that language traps clients into attempts to wage war against their internal lives. Clients learn to re-contextualize and accept these private events, develop greater clarity about personal values, and commit to needed behavior change. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy typically lasts between 8 and 16 sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes in length, and are usually scheduled once per week. Should more intensive treatment be required, the session length and frequency may be adjusted.

Couples Counseling

Counseling in which guidance and advice focus on issues confronting relationships between partners. Couples counseling is short-term and problem oriented; it may include a variety of approaches to such difficult areas as shared responsibilities, expectations for the future, and loyalties.