Nichole Garcia, LMSW

Nichole Garcia is a licensed masters social worker, LMSW, with 13 years of experience in mental health. She began her career supporting children and teens in a residential shelter and later expanded her work to adults in community mental health settings. Nichole works with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma, addictions, ADHD, and relationship or family stress. She is based in Michigan and communicates in English.

Over time Nichole moved from residential care to community mental health services. That shift gave her steady exposure to adults managing mood disorders, trauma, and substance use. Her background includes work in shelters, residential facilities, and psychiatric settings during her training. She also has experience supporting people across the LGBTQ community and with eating or sleep issues.

Nichole uses a mix of practical approaches in sessions. She draws from cognitive behavioral techniques to identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns. She incorporates emotion-focused skills from dialectical behavior work to help with regulation and distress tolerance.

Her style is direct and transparent. She values honesty in the therapeutic relationship and aims to make sessions empathetic and genuine. Nichole describes herself as someone who enjoys learning about each person and finding concrete ways to move forward together.

Nichole trained at Wayne State University, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in social work and an accelerated master’s program. She has continued professional learning through trainings related to trauma, DBT, exposure approaches, eating disorders, and substance use.

How these approaches shape online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and focuses on acting in line with personal values. It can help with anxiety, low mood, and coping with big life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical steps to change patterns that cause distress. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress management. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, emphasizes skills for regulating intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships, which can be useful for mood instability, anger, and self-management challenges.

The therapist approaches choosing methods as a team effort. Early sessions are used to understand your goals, day-to-day challenges, and what feels helpful to you. From there Nichole discusses which approaches might fit best and adjusts as progress is made so the work matches your needs and preferences.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy day, reducing travel time, and making it easier to check in during work breaks or between responsibilities. If you prefer a shorter check-in, or a session without video, confirm the available session formats before booking. Ask about scheduling and formats when you complete the initial matching steps so you can plan sessions that fit your routine.