- Anxiety and panic
- Relationship support
- Strengths-based care
About Nicole
Nicole McSuhm is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing anxiety, stress, panic attacks, and depression. She supports clients who are navigating relationship and family concerns and people from the LGBT community. She emphasizes practical steps and works alongside each person to reach their goals.
Nicole uses an empowerment and strengths-based approach. That means she focuses on what clients already do well and builds on those skills. Sessions are collaborative - the client’s priorities shape what happens in the room.
She has an extensive background in domestic violence, trauma, and healthy relationships. Nicole also has experience with post-traumatic stress, sexual assault and abuse, and issues around sexuality and women's health. She pays attention to how past experiences affect current patterns and reactions.
Nicole has worked with people dealing with chronic pain, illness, and disability, as well as codependency, communication problems, divorce and separation, and isolation or loneliness. She is interested in helping people understand why their body and mind respond the way they do and in finding practical ways to manage those reactions.
She holds an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential, LCSW, and brings five years of clinical experience. Her style is direct but compassionate, aiming to help people notice small shifts that make daily life easier.
How evidence-based techniques translate to online care
Nicole uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical skills people can use right away. One common approach helps people learn to notice and name bodily and thought reactions during anxiety or panic. That offers simple steps to reduce intensity in the moment and to build more tolerance over time. Another common focus is trauma-informed work that looks at how past experiences shape current relationships and stress responses, helping people change patterns that no longer serve them.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist collaborates with each person to decide which techniques fit their needs and goals. This means trying options, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together as progress or new challenges appear.
Confirm the current online session options before booking because formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules demand it. It can also let people work with a therapist from their own community in Illinois. The therapist will discuss what format works best during the matching and scheduling steps.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Nicole commonly address?
She works with people facing anxiety, panic attacks, stress, depression, relationship and family concerns, and issues related to LGBT identity.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is empowerment-focused and strengths-based, meaning sessions center on client goals and practical skills they already use.
What is her clinical background?
She has extensive experience with domestic violence, trauma, healthy relationships, PTSD, and supporting the LGBT community over five years of practice.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds an Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential, LCSW, and practices in Illinois.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How much do sessions cost and how are they billed?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.