Nikki Schuster, LSW (she/her)

Do any of these sound like you?

You have complicated relationships and/or frequent conflicts with your parents or other family members. You aren’t sure how to mend them, or if you even want to. Your family is feeling fractured and you try to keep the peace but it feels like someone is always unhappy. Sometimes you find yourself asking, “what did I do wrong to make them treat me this way?” You often blame yourself for these rifts, but deep down, you know there’s more to the story waiting to be uncovered.

Your mind is always racing, creating fictional conversations and scenarios, and imagining the worst possible scenarios. You feel shaky, short of breath, sweaty, tense, or nauseous, and you can’t seem to get it under control. You are always on high alert and have trouble relaxing and feeling safe. You’re constantly wondering, “am I good enough?” and expecting something to go wrong. You are tired of living with these constant feelings of worry and uneasiness.

You are constantly in physical pain and feel like no one understands what you’re going through. You have been mistreated and let down by the medical system more times than you can count. Your diagnosis (or lack thereof) and symptoms is affecting your ability to live the life you want to live. You are struggling to adjust to a life with a chronic illness or injury, and you need to talk to someone who understands what this is like.

You and your partner used to feel like a team, but lately you are feeling disconnected and misunderstood. Your relationship is feeling unstable and you are fighting more often and feeling discontent with where things stand. You feel as though you have lost your intimacy and you are struggling to communicate clearly. Your needs are not being met, and you aren’t sure how to get things back on track.

Wherever you are in life right now, it is not quite where you want to be. The idea of healing and growing is on the forefront of your mind, even if you may be feeling nervous or uncertain about how to start.

If so, therapy can help!

Trying to deal with strong emotions, damaged relationships, and traumatic experiences without healthy tools, knowledge, and support can lead to further feelings of frustration, disappointment, and isolation. Therapy provides a safe space for you to explore and learn about your emotions without judgement. Therapy is a supportive environment that can foster healthy change with the right therapist and an honest effort. If you feel like I may be a good fit for you, then together, we can tackle whatever is ailing you. I will support you in creating effective, detailed plans to help you reach your goals, while emphasizing your strengths and highlighting your successes. I will provide as much education as possible to help you gain a deeper understanding of why you feel the way you do, as well as equip you with tools and techniques to more effectively cope with those feelings.

I work best with clients who are willing to challenge their own thought patterns and develop new habits for lasting change. I believe strongly in the importance of collaboration, and will continue working hard on your growth, as long as you do, too. I welcome all identities, ages, cultures, and beliefs, but am particularly passionate about working with couples, and secular teens and young adults who identify as female.

My approach to therapy is person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed. This means that I will respect your boundaries and beliefs, highlight your strengths and abilities, and meet you where you are at. Based on your individual needs and goals for therapy, I may utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and/or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) during our sessions.