Sandplay Therapists in San Jose, CA

Nicole is passionate about helping people heal from their past so they can build a better future. She supports women through unhealthy relationships, healing from childhood abuse, sexual abuse, anxiety and PTSD. For over a decade, Nicole has studied and worked in human development and psychology. She is EMDRIA Certified EMDR Clinician and supports kids and adults in the healing process.

Are you experiencing challenges with anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma? Do you find yourself in a relationship that is distressing, overwhelming, or distant? Emotional and relationship struggles can leave you feeling stuck. You want relief and change. Therapy can help you address what isn’t working, what is missing, and what needs to shift. In therapy you can learn to recognize your emotions, regulate, and become more emotionally present. You can take steps towards honoring your own needs within relationships and creating healthy boundaries.

I work with adults, teens and children as young as 3 years old. My work with children relies heavily on play and metaphor to unlock deeper layers of a child's psyche. Teenagers tend to need a safe, private space and having someone understand what they are going through and providing supportive listening and feedback. Adult therapy often explores strengths, core wounding, the private inner narrative, the stories we tell ourselves, and the energies we have carried with us possibly since birth. I find that often, seemingly maladaptive behaviors are simply ways we have learned to get our needs met and survive in a complicated world.

I am here to tell you, you are not broken, even if your mind may tell you so. When we are anxious or in despair, we can’t think straight or engage our usual survival strategies. It can impact our health, body, emotions, relationships, perception of self and reality. We can't make sense of the distorted thoughts alone. We need a therapist to help guide us. I often help young women who are feeling shy, anxious, obsessive, depressed, struggling with perfectionism or life transitions. I enjoy helping girls and women achieve developmentally appropriate social-emotional, verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Empowering Change coaching & counseling services meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. We focus on the core issues that bring you here today. Some of these core issues are under the surface (shadow) and show up as anger, depression, self-doubt, dis-trust & anxiety. Often these emotional patterns are caused by old wounds that are calling for your attention. Understanding why these responses were formed takes them out of the shadows, freeing you from the power they have over you.

From the first phone call to the last session I want you to feel heard, seen and safe. Reaching out when you need support is a very vulnerable step. And a brave one. You are worth it and won't be alone during your journey of growth and healing. I work from a compassionate and nonjudgmental place. I look at each person in a holistic way which means I attend to the emotional, mental and physical energy that is brought into each session as well as your own unique life experiences. Through my own experience with therapy I know how processing self-defeating behaviors and beliefs can be truly life-changing. There is always hope.

If you or your child is struggling with depression, social relationships or having trouble coping with other difficulties life has thrown at you it is time to ask for help. You can get comfort and learn the skills to cope with anxiety, grief, social fears etc. Talking to a therapist can be the first step towards a more joyful and satisfying life. I work with children, teens, and adults, couples, and families. Child therapy sessions involve play therapy and the use of creative art materials. Sometimes just having someone to listen can make all the difference.

Change can be difficult -- Allow me to help you succeed on your journey! Throughout my years of experience, I've found great joy and satisfaction in helping children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I work with children treating for phobias, unhappiness, divorce, grief, separation issues, abuse, neglect, poor self-esteem, and problems adjusting to life transitions. I use a combination of play therapy, art therapy, and talk therapy, as appropriate per the child's developmental level.

We all want happiness. However, we could lose clarity that has once helped us make healthy decisions when life prompts us with challenging situations: marital problems, family discord, difficult parent-child relationships, acculturation issues, individual psychological problems, spiritual crisis, personal existential crisis, or transitional life issues. My calling is to help people find happiness, whether by developing new insights into their troubling predicaments, increasing mutual understanding amongst family members through effective communication, empowering human diversity, thereby fostering a satisfactory outcome.