People reach out for many reasons, and you do not need a diagnosis or a crisis to start. Common concerns Nicole works with include:

• Anxiety and stress – constant worry, racing thoughts, burnout and trouble switching off. See stress management therapy.
• Depression – low mood, loss of interest, exhaustion and feeling stuck. See depression counseling.
• Trauma – the lasting effects of frightening or painful experiences. See trauma counseling.
• Anger – reactions that feel bigger than the moment and are straining relationships. See anger management counseling.
• Relationship and family conflict – communication breakdowns, broken trust, separation and co-parenting.
• Life transitions – a new job, a move, becoming a parent, a breakup, retirement or grief.

If you are not sure whether your concern is something therapy can help with, the free consultation is a good place to ask. The American Psychological Association also publishes a plain-language overview of how psychotherapy works and what to expect from it.

Nicole’s approach is humanistic and person-centered, which means you are treated as the expert on your own life. Her role is to listen carefully, ask useful questions and offer tools that fit you, not to hand down judgment or a one-size-fits-all plan.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a well-researched method that looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions influence one another. In practice that can mean noticing an unhelpful thought pattern, testing it against the facts and practicing a different response between sessions. Mindfulness and communication skills are woven in where they help. The National Institute of Mental Health describes CBT and other evidence-based talk therapies in more detail.

What “PLPC” Means

Nicole is a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC). This is a license issued by the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners to counselors who have completed a master’s degree in counseling and are practicing under the supervision of a board-approved supervisor. Nicole provides counseling under clinical supervision through Magnolia Family Counseling. For clients, that means a second experienced clinician supports the quality of your care behind the scenes.

Most clients choose telehealth. Sessions take place over a secure video platform, so you can meet from home, from your office on a lunch break or from anywhere in Louisiana with a private space and an internet connection. Online sessions remove the drive, the parking and the waiting room, which makes it far easier to keep a regular appointment.

If you would rather sit in the same room with your therapist, in-person sessions are available in Metairie by request. The practice office is at 1110 Erato Street, Ste 2, New Orleans, LA 70130. Clients come from Uptown, the Garden District, Mid-City, Gentilly, Lakeview, New Orleans East and the Warehouse District, as well as Metairie, Kenner, the Northshore and Baton Rouge by telehealth.

Whichever format you choose, what you share is private. You can read more about how confidentiality in therapy works and where its limits are.

Starting with a new therapist in New Orleans can bring up nerves, and that is normal. The first session is mostly a conversation. Nicole will ask what brought you in, what you have already tried and what you hope will be different a few months from now. You decide how much to share and how fast to go. There are no wrong answers, and you will not be pushed to talk about anything before you are ready.

By the end of that first meeting you should have a sense of how Nicole works and a rough plan: how often to meet, what to focus on first and how you will both know that things are improving. Many clients start weekly and move to every other week as they feel steadier. Between sessions you may be given something small to practice, such as a breathing exercise, a way of rephrasing a difficult conversation or a short written reflection.

• One clear price. $100 per session for individuals, couples and families, with no tiered packages to decode.
• Real flexibility. Daytime, early-evening and Saturday appointments, online or in person.
• Care for the whole household. The same counselor can support an adult, a couple, a teen or a family, so you do not have to start over somewhere new as your needs change.
• Supervised practice. Nicole’s work is reviewed with an experienced supervisor through Magnolia Family Counseling.
• Local understanding. As a therapist in New Orleans, Nicole knows the rhythms of life here, from hurricane season stress to the pull of big family gatherings.

Cost is one of the most common reasons people put off getting help, so the pricing here is simple. Individual, couples and family sessions are all $100, and each session lasts 50 minutes. Online and in-person sessions cost the same. The full list of services is on the fees page.

Southern Therapy does not bill insurance directly. If your plan includes out-of-network coverage, the page on out-of-network therapy benefits explains how that can work. Major credit cards are accepted. A card is kept on file when you book but is not charged until your session, and appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice are charged in full.

1. Reach out. Call or text 504-321-3499, or book an appointment online.
2. Have a free consultation. A short conversation lets you describe what is going on, ask questions and see whether Nicole feels like a good fit.
3. Schedule your first session. Choose online or in person and a time that suits you. Office hours are Monday and Wednesday 9AM to 6PM, Tuesday and Thursday 10AM to 5PM, and Saturday 10AM to 2PM.
4. Set your goals together. In the first session you and Nicole talk about what brought you in and what you would like to be different, then agree on a plan.