she/her/hers
As a Black Therapist, Nicola Pierre-Smith, LPC knows it is hard for folks who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to ask for help. Nicola is aware that mental health stigma and cultural norms can make it easier to ask friends, family, or a religious person for help, instead of a Psychotherapist. For this reason, she found Melanated Women’s Health to provide an affirming and anti-racist 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.
She offers trauma treatment for single-issue and complex trauma, using EMDR which is an evidence based trauma treatment. She also offers therapy for anxiety, symptoms of depression, managing stress, and issues relating to sexuality and gender expression. People in therapy with Nicola report increased self- confidence, assertive communication and self-advocacy skills to deal with racial trauma and race-based stress.
Nicola Pierre-Smith, LPC attended universities in Jamaica and America, and is licensed in Pennsylvania. She completed Temple University’s Clinical Supervision and is currently enrolled in the university’s Transgender Education Series. She values helping clients and unlicensed Therapists overcome Imposter Syndrome, and feel pride in their social identities.
Nicola has a wide range of clinical, leadership, and training experiences. For instance, she has provided mental health treatment to court-involved or forensic populations, in community outpatient agencies and residential treatment centers as a Director and Clinical Coordinator. She has also conducted burn-out prevention and emotional wellness workshops for companies such as HelloFresh and non-profit agencies.