- Person-centered approach
- CBT strategies
- Motivational support
About Nicole
Dr. Nicole Donato is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 11 years of clinical experience. She offers a warm, straightforward approach and prefers to be called Nicole. She combines clear listening with practical tools to help people facing stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship strain, grief, and other life challenges.
Nicole earned multiple graduate degrees including a PhD in Psychology and has worked across inpatient and outpatient settings. Her background also includes social work for a foster family agency and teaching at the college level, where she enjoys helping students reach new understanding.
In sessions she emphasizes a person-centered stance, which means she aims to be genuine and empathic while building a trusting working relationship. She also uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients spot unhelpful self-talk and change patterns that feed anxiety or low mood.
Motivational interviewing and psychodynamic ideas are woven into her work when they fit a client's goals. Those methods can support change by clarifying values, increasing motivation, and exploring how past experiences shape present feelings and choices.
Nicole mentions coping with natural or human-caused disaster among her focus areas, and she brings practical problem-solving alongside listening when people are dealing with sudden disruption. Sessions are offered in English and are shaped to each person's needs through conversation and collaboration.
How Nicole Uses Therapeutic Approaches Online
Nicole integrates client-centered work and cognitive behavioral therapy into online sessions. Client-centered Therapy means she focuses on listening, being genuine, and building a trusting working relationship so people feel heard. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and offers practical steps to shift those patterns, which can help with anxiety, depression, sleep, and coping after difficult events.Nicole treats the choice of approach as a collaborative decision. She will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and try methods that fit those aims. If a strategy isn’t helping, she adjusts the plan together with the client so the work stays relevant and useful.
Confirm the current online session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, require less travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also supports ongoing work after a disruptive event, letting people address stress or disaster-related challenges without rearranging their entire day.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Credentials
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does this therapist address?
Nicole helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, eating concerns, self-esteem, ADHD, bipolar, and related challenges. She also lists coping with natural or human-caused disaster and caregiver stress among her focus areas.
How would you describe the therapy style?
Her style is person-centered and collaborative. She listens empathetically and uses CBT and motivational interviewing techniques to help people change unhelpful thoughts and build motivation.
What is her professional background?
She holds two master’s degrees and a PhD in Psychology and has worked in inpatient and outpatient settings plus foster family social work. She also teaches at the college level.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey and is based in that state.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English only.
Can international clients work with her?
She is not accepting international clients at this time.
How are fees and payment structured?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What do I do to get started?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist’s availability.