Nicole L. James, MA, LPC, NCC

Introduction: Nicole's specialties include child, teen/adolescent, adult, individual and family therapy, anxiety, emotional and behavioral issues, ADHD, depression, self-esteem, coping skills, family conflict, college and career counseling, academic underachievement, parenting issues, learning disabilities, peer relationships, grief and loss, life transitions, relational issues, social skills, developmental diagnosis, dual diagnosis, and psychological testing. Nicole is a licensed professional counselor with a master's of arts in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Illinois State University. A therapeutic relationship grounded in honesty and openness is essential. Nicole believes in being present and patient. She values personal development and believes the therapeutic process is based on the ability to collaborate. Her goal is to help her clients identify and experience whatever they are feeling, find ways in which their assumptions influence how they feel and behave, and experiment with alternative modes of behaving. She challenges clients to dream and helps them take the steps necessary to fulfill those dreams. Change can be hard work, and Nicole will be with you throughout the process. Depending on the individual needs of the client, Nicole draws from a variety of therapeutic approaches including dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, integrative art and play therapy, solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), and psychological testing and evaluation.