Nicole Braun, LPCC
“You are the expert of yourself!”
Hi, I'm Nicole!
Beginning a therapeutic journey can be a stressful or uncomfortable situation. I get it, it is tough to be vulnerable, let alone with someone you don’t know yet! My main priority is to provide a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment in which you or your child can be vulnerable. The therapy space and therapeutic relationship are established to facilitate the trust required to share tough subjects. Upon establishing a therapeutic relationship, therapy becomes a creative, collaborative experience of us working together to find new ways to heal and grow.
The internal world and dialogue of an individual provides the script to which we as humans live. We will work together to explore the impact your internal world (i.e., emotional processing, trauma processing, negative self-talk, etc.) has on you. Through the use of toys in play therapy to facilitate a healing experience, or conversation in traditional talk therapy to create a healing understanding, we will work to help your internal world be heard, honored, and healed!
While I also work with adults and adolescents, I have a special interest in using play therapy to work with individuals twelve and under. Unlike adults, whose typical medium of communication is verbalization, the natural medium for children is play and activity. In daily life, you may see them throwing their notebook when struggling with math or smashing their creation when the last Lego just won’t fit. Children communicate with the means they have. With toys as their words and play as their language, children are better suited to explore, process, and grow.
Therapeutic strengths include: Meeting the client where they are in their journey, using metaphors to connect concepts to experiences, and cognitive restructuring. I work well with kids because I love to play and have fun; this helps kids trust me and follow me into tough subjects.
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More about me: I am LGBTQIA+ inclusive and gender affirming.
Technical jargon: I work from a foundation built on person-centered principles in an effort to build trust. On top of this foundation, I become more directive through these theories: cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, mindfulness-based interventions and motivational interviewing.
The academics: I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with a Master's in Counseling & Psychological Services from Saint Mary’s University. I am an active member of the Association for Play Therapy and am currently working towards becoming a Registered Play Therapist (RPT). In addition, I continue to educate myself and further my continued education in the areas listed below.
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Areas of special focus: anger, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavioral concerns, child divorce counseling, communication concerns, depression, the parent-child relationship, and trauma.
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Intern Option: Ask me about utilizing a Playmore graduate level intern in a therapeutic team approach. The family will be encouraged to allow the intern to visit their home once a week for an in-home family/play therapy session to expand and strengthen the work done in the office. This approach offers more observation, intervention, and evaluation of the therapy process, making it a more comprehensive model for client care. All details and arrangements for utilizing interns will be discussed and agreed upon with clients.
Nicoles's Services & Fees
Services:
I offer individual and family therapy with adults, adolescents, and kids. Services for adolescents and adults are offered via telehealth if requested. For more information about my approach, see above.
Fees:
I am a fee-for-service provider, which means I do not accept insurance. You may be reimbursed by your insurance company for my services if you choose to request "out-of-network" reimbursement. Please verify the specific requirements for reimbursement with your insurance provider, and I will be happy to provide you with the appropriate receipt, billing codes, and diagnosis needed (insurance will not reimburse if there is no diagnosis).
Payment is due at time of service. I accept cash, check, or credit card payments, including Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards. Payment is accepted through Ivy Pay.
My rate is $125/hr.
There is no additional fee for an intern’s in-home session.
