Nicole Groves
I am Nicole Groves, a Licensed Professional Counselor providing direct, holistic, and trauma-informed therapy across Texas, Iowa, Louisiana, and Missouri. My practice bridges the gap between traditional mental health support and somatic healing, helping clients build resilience, regulate their nervous systems, and navigate life's challenges. Transitioning from a career as a K-12 educator into community mental health and private practice gave me a deep, firsthand understanding of chronic stress, occupational burnout, and systemic pressure. I specialize in supporting individuals in high-stakes helping professions—such as teachers, nurses, and first responders—as well as offering affirming, nonjudgmental care for the LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and kink/BDSM communities.
I specialize in supporting individuals in high-stakes helping professions—such as teachers, nurses, and first responders—as well as offering affirming, nonjudgmental care for the LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and kink/BDSM communities.
In our sessions, I combine evidence-based behavioral methods like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Trauma-Focused CBT with somatic techniques and yoga-based mindfulness. My approach is entirely collaborative and tailored to your specific background and goals. Whether you are working through burnout, processing trauma, or navigating anxiety, I provide an inclusive, safe space where you can show up authentically, process the weight you carry, and create lasting personal growth.
First session
In your first session, you can expect a grounded, welcoming, and collaborative space focused entirely on understanding where you are and where you want to go. We will walk through your background, current challenges, and the everyday stressors impacting your life, while identifying your personal goals for therapy.
Strengths
My approach stands out because I bring a grounded, highly adaptable, and authentic presence to every session. I combine evidence-based clinical rigor with real-world perspective, ensuring therapy feels like a direct, collaborative partnership rather than a clinical transaction. Key strengths I bring to our work include: * Somatic & Physiological Expertise: As a therapist and registered yoga teacher, I help you connect mental clarity with nervous system regulation. We don't just talk through stress; we address how chronic tension and trauma live in the physical body using Somatic Therapy and mindfulness. * Deep Cultural Competence & Affirming Care: I offer a genuine, nonjudgmental space where clients who often feel misunderstood—including members of the LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and kink/BDSM communities—can speak freely, drop their guard, and feel completely seen. * Firsthand Knowledge of Burnout: Having transitioned from education into mental health, I bring lived understanding to the unique pressures facing high-stakes helping professionals, like teachers, nurses, and emergency workers. I know how systemic strain operates and how to build realistic resilience against it. * Structured, Flexible Modalities: By integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Trauma-Focused CBT, I provide practical, actionable tools for emotional regulation and boundary setting without relying on rigid, one-size-fits-all treatment plans. I balance empathetic validation with clear, transparent feedback. You can expect an empowering environment built on trust, respect, and actionable growth.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone navigating chronic stress, life transitions, or the long-term impact of high-pressure environments. They are often educators, healthcare workers, first responders, or members of the LGBTQ+, polyamorous, and kink communities who feel overworked, misunderstood, or disconnected from their true selves. They don't need to have everything figured out before walking through the door. My ideal client is simply ready for change and open to looking at their well-being through a holistic lens. They value a therapeutic relationship built on transparency, direct communication, and mutual respect. They appreciate an affirming, nonjudgmental space where they can drop the burden of meeting everyone else’s expectations and focus on their own growth Ultimately, my ideal client wants more than short-term fixes. Their goal is to build practical resilience, reconnect their mind and body, learn how to regulate their nervous system, and create a sustainable path toward balance and personal peace.
Treatment methods
Somatic
Stress and trauma don't just live in your head—they show up in your body as tight shoulders, a racing heart, or a heavy chest. We pay attention to those physical signals and use simple body-focused tools to help your body learn how to release that trapped tension and feel safe again.
Trauma-Focused CBT
We look at how past painful or overwhelming experiences shape the thoughts, feelings, and actions you have today. Step by step, we help you make sense of those memories so they stop feeling so heavy and no longer control your daily life.
Gender-affirming therapy
I provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where your gender identity, name, and pronouns are fully respected and celebrated. We work together on your goals without you ever having to justify who you are, explain basic terms, or hide your authentic self.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
We practice staying present in the current moment rather than getting pulled into past regrets or future worries. This helps you notice your thoughts and body sensations as they happen, giving you a quiet pause to respond thoughtfully instead of just reacting on instinct.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
You are the expert on your own life, so you sit in the driver's seat of our work together. My role is not to give orders or fix you, but to listen deeply, support your choices, and help you find the answers and direction that feel right for you.
Location
Virtual sessions