Nicola Pierre-Smith, LPC knows it is hard for people to ask for help, and that shame and mental health stigma are barriers to starting therapy. It is especially hard for folks from racialized groups who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to go to therapy because of cultural norms and the preference to talk to friends, family, or religious leaders instead. With this in mind, Pierre-Smith created Melanated Women's Health, LLC to provide a culturally affirming and anti-oppressive therapy space for people who have been marginalized because of their social identities. She understands that the intersections of a person's identities influence how he/she/they engage with the world.
-Smith offers trauma treatment for single-issue and complex trauma, using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She also offers therapy for anxiety, symptoms of depression, stress management, and issues relating to sexual and gender expression. Significantly, Pierre-Smith provides mental wellness workshops and makes guest appearances in the media as a mental health expert. Individual and corporate clients who have worked with Pierre-Smith report that they have an increased awareness for the impact of racism based stress on wellness, and increased confidence in their ability to advocate for the mental wellness needs of self and others.
In terms of her background, Pierre-Smith attended universities in Jamaica and America and has completed trainings in Clinical Supervision and Transgender Education at Temple University. Outside of clinical practice, Pierre-Smith offers supervision services for the PA State Board licensing, and enjoys helping provisionally licensed Therapists overcome Imposter Syndrome.
Pierre-Smith has a wide range of clinical, leadership, and workshop facilitation skills. For instance, she has contributed to mental wellness events for brands/companies such as Essence, was the Director of a behavioral health agency, and has provided specialized treatment to marginalized populations due their history with the criminal justice system.
