ABOUT NICOLE LAWSON, LISW-S
You deserve a therapist you can actually talk to.
Finding a therapist can feel a little strange. You’re trying to decide whether you can trust someone with the parts of your life you may not talk about with many people- all from a photo and a few paragraphs on a website.
So, hi. I’m Nicole.
I’m a licensed therapist with 16 years of experience working with women throughout Ohio, and more than anything, I want therapy to feel like a place where you can settle in, be yourself, and know you don’t have to have everything figured out before you get here.
There are two humans in this space.
I’ve always believed that the relationship we build matters just as much as the tools and techniques we use.
I’m not going to sit across from you and expect you to do all the talking while I quietly nod along. I’ll ask questions. I’ll help you notice patterns. I’ll teach you practical ways to manage the things that feel overwhelming. And when there’s room for it, we’ll probably laugh, too.
You don’t need to impress me, explain everything perfectly, or worry about saying the “wrong” thing. Therapy is one place where you get to put some of that down.
We’ll take things one conversation at a time.
I’ve spent 16 years listening to women’s stories.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is no single way to be a woman- or to struggle.
I’ve worked with women navigating anxiety and depression, carrying trauma, grieving people and lives they thought they’d have, adjusting to pregnancy and postpartum, finding themselves in motherhood, struggling through college, questioning relationships, caring for everyone around them, and trying to understand who they are in the middle of it all.
Sometimes you come to therapy because something big happened.
Sometimes you come because a hundred little things have piled up.
And sometimes all you know is, “I don’t want to feel like this anymore.”
That’s enough of a place to begin.
I know what it’s like to sit on the other side, too.
You’ll hear me say that every good therapist has a good therapist.
I believe that.
I know personally what it feels like to reach out, sit down with someone new, and wonder where on earth you’re supposed to start. Being a therapist doesn’t make me immune to being human, and I don’t think pretending otherwise would make me particularly good at this work.
Having my own experience with therapy has only deepened my respect for what I’m asking of you when you walk into this space.
It takes trust to let another person into your life. I don’t take that lightly.
What therapy with me feels like
Warm
You don’t have to leave parts of yourself at the door. I want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me what’s actually going on- not the polished version.
Engaged
I’m an active participant in our sessions. I’ll listen closely, ask questions, offer another perspective, and help us connect the dots together.
Practical
Insight matters, but so does knowing what to do when Tuesday afternoon rolls around and your brain is doing the thing again. We’ll work on tools you can use outside our sessions.
At Your Pace
Especially when we’re talking about trauma, grief, or painful experiences, there’s no prize for getting through it quickly. We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable for you.
My approach to therapy
We’ll make sense of what’s happening- and figure out what helps.
My approach is relational, person-centered, and grounded in the belief that you know yourself better than anyone else does.
Depending on what brings you to therapy, I may incorporate approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), DBT-informed skills, Emotionally Focused Therapy, motivational interviewing, compassion-focused work, trauma-focused therapy, and strengths-based approaches.
But I don’t believe therapy should feel like I’m pulling techniques out of a manual and applying them to you.
You’re a person, not a treatment plan.
We’ll pay attention to what works for you, what doesn’t, what feels important, and what you’re ready for. I can bring sixteen years of experience to the room. You bring sixteen- or twenty-five, or forty-five, or sixty- years of knowing what it’s like to be you.
We need both.
A little about the letters after my name
Because credentials matter, even if they aren’t the most interesting thing about me.
Nicole Lawson, LISW-S
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervision Designation
State of Ohio License I.1450829-SUPV
Master of Social Work
The Ohio State University, 2010
16 Years in Practice
Think we might be a good fit?
You don’t need to decide from a website whether I’m going to be your therapist.
That’s what the consultation is for.
We can spend 15 minutes talking about what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’re looking for, and whether working together feels comfortable. You can ask questions. I can tell you a little more about how I work.
And then you can decide.