Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Nickerson.
Hi Mia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from Corona, California. My family and I relocated to Fort Worth, Texas, in 2007. My counseling journey begins 2013 after completing my first year of college. I still had yet to decide on a major, so I was taking core courses. Before my second year of college rolled around, I decided to take summer school courses so that I would graduate on a four-year track. One of the summer sessions just happened to be an Introduction to Psychology class, and that was it for me. I was always interested in human behavior and the mind, but this class made me fall in love with the material. I knew then and there what major I wanted to pursue. After receiving my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Tarleton State University in 2016, I went to Texas Wesleyan University, where I earned my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling in 2020.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My counseling journey has been a little bumpy, but what journey isn’t it? Of course, after going to work full-time and graduate school in the evenings, one starts to feel burned out. Luckily I had a position as a Special Education Behavioral Aide for a local School District, which worked well with my school schedule. Unfortunately, during the last year of my program, the world encountered Covid-19, which changed many things, including people’s perspectives concerning Mental Health.
Covid-19 became a big obstacle, and everyone was affected by it, some in small ways and some in big ways. My classes had now become online or “Hybrid”; schools and businesses were shut down, meaning my position as a behavioral aide had transitioned from in-person to remote. In addition, my last semester of school was chaotic as it, too, had gone from in-person to remote. I struggled with burnout during my last semester of grad school and felt like I was on auto-pilot so being able to work from home for both work and school ended up a blessing in disguise. While working from home for that period was nice, Covid-19 still heavily impacted much of what was normal for me. From not having a graduation ceremony to delays in taking the LPC exam, getting my LPC-Associate license, securing a supervisor, to even building my clientele. It has been a long process. I didn’t even start seeing clients until the summer of 2021, and in the world of counseling,` summertime for a Therapist is not a busy season. However, after some time and patience, people eventually made their way to see me, and slowly but surely, I grew my client list and built a clientele.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, providing in-person and virtual teletherapy services to the public. I will receive full licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in January 2024; I work with Bridges To Crossroads Counseling & and IOP Care in Fort Worth, Texas. I work with Adults and adolescents to provide them with a non-judgmental space to share their experiences and struggles. I primarily work with many women and service a big BIPOC population. My ability to build rapport and relate to my clients sets me apart from others. I recognize the body language my clients display when they share their experiences and take my cues from them. To lead the session in the direction, it needs to go.
I am eclectic when it comes to different models of therapy. It usually depends on my clients and what they need at that moment. However, there are a few that I use consistently. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a great model of therapy for challenging negative thoughts, identifying unhealthy thinking patterns, and removing people-pleasing behaviors. I also use Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) that helps aid the client in finding new ways to approach their struggles and a better solution. Some others I keep in my repertoire are Narrative Therapy, existential and person-centered therapy.
I am incredibly proud of the clientele I have built thus far and the progress my clients have made and will continue to make in the future. It took a while to build, but I love that I could take clients that came my way and meet them where they were. Sometimes, that is all you can do, especially when they start their healing journey. I am also proud of the environment I create for my clients, which is to be completely transparent with themselves and me. I provide them with tools such as coping skills, psychoeducation, and emotional vocabulary and increase their emotional intelligence so they can become more comfortable using their coping skills. The more the client sets the intention to practice and use their tools. They will feel more confident and independent about themselves and their overall mental wellness.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
When it comes to luck, this interview, for instance, would be considered good luck. I am very blessed that I was given this opportunity to share my story and get my name out there. I have had some bad luck that has played a part in my life, but everything happens for a reason. Even though it may hurt initially, I’ve always believed there is a lesson to be learned at the end of every string of good and bad luck.
Pricing:
- Individual Intake: $125 a session
- Individual Sessions: $100-150 a session
- Couples Session: $100-$150 a session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bridgestocrossroads.net/blank-page
- Instagram: Mindfulmiafw
- Other: https://linktr.ee/mindfulmia2020
Image Credits
The two pictures of the office belong to the Bridges To Crossroads Counseling & IOP website
