Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Nichols.
Hi Emily, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
You know, I was looking through some of my old journals from when I was like eight or nine the other day, and I wrote about reading the Chicken Soup for The Soul series. The stories that touched me most were the ones where people helped others through a difficult time. I loved that concept; even as a kid I believed in the power of being a person who could support somebody navigating a challenge. I wanted to be that person.
In college, I started off majoring in pre-law thinking that I’d become a guardian ad litem, a person who represents the child’s interests in legal proceedings, but then realized pretty early on that I couldn’t stomach the criminal justice system. I’d randomly signed up for a few psychology courses to get my gen-ed requirements out of the way and that’s when I fell in love with the field. I saw another way that I could help people and the more classes I took, the more confident I became that this was the path for me. So, I knew I loved psychology, I just didn’t know how to get from the place I was at to the whole “helping people” part.
By senior year, I was working at an ice cream shop on campus and during homecoming weekend we had a big group come in. While making small talk, I found out one of the alumni worked as a psychologist. This woman gave me her card and said, “You’re gonna feel weird about emailing me, but don’t. Email me.” Somehow, this chance encounter with a stranger put me on the path to attending grad school, getting my doctorate, and becoming the psychologist I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Gosh, no. During the spring of 2020 I was seeing patients—most of whom were little kids with anxiety so severe they didn’t speak in public—at this amazing place called Child Mind Institute and one day we got an email that we were going to shut down for two weeks. . .It wasn’t two weeks. Overnight, I had to learn how to translate all the therapy skills I’d learned—how to establish rapport, build trust, and provide high-quality treatment—to a computer-delivered format. Telehealth was a completely different way of doing therapy than what I was used to. It tested my abilities as a clinician, it tested my sanity as a human, but ultimately it also provided the framework for what would eventually lead to me creating my own business – a virtual outpatient therapy practice where people from all across the country could access services from the comfort of their own home.
We’ve been impressed with Centered Mind Psychology, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Centered Mind Psychology is a therapy practice that specializes in treating children, teens, and adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship issues, and sleep disturbance. We also work closely with parents of children, including adult children, who have a history of those challenges and underlying emotional regulation difficulties.
One thing that makes CMP really special is that treatment is virtual, so it’s much more accessible to people not just in Atlanta, but across more than 40 states in the US. So if you’re going on vacation and something unexpected happens, you don’t need to wait until you’re back to have an appointment. Or, say you’re a college student who is home for the summer, you can still access care instead of switching to another therapist licensed in your state. A lot of people really appreciate being able to have a therapy session on their lunch break at work or in their dorm when their roommate is at class.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how alive the city is. I walk through Cabbage Town and see these gorgeous murals. On the Beltine people are eating, yapping, biking in fun outfits, or singing some Beyonce while rollerblading (I see you, Kevin!). You can head to Piedmont Park on any given day and see people playing sports or walking their dogs and it’s amazing. There is always something going on somewhere.
I think I’m not alone when I say the thing I like least about Atlanta is the insane traffic. Seriously, I’m grateful to do remote work because it is brutal here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.centeredmindpsychology.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centeredmindpsychology/
Image Credits
Jessica Lowell
