Dr. Nancy Kenyon Richardson, LCMHC

Dr. Nancy Kenyon Richardson, known professionally as Dr. Nancy, welcomes people who are ready to seek help and change. She approaches care with a steady belief in the capacity of individuals to heal from trauma, substance use disorders, and other mental health struggles, and she is passionate about accompanying people on the path to recovery and greater well-being.

Her academic training includes a master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in counseling and a research-based Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in addiction. Her research on successful recovery after medication-assisted treatment (MAT) led to an emerging theory about MAT as an aid to long-term opioid recovery without ongoing medication. She is a licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC) - a license to provide clinical counseling - and a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC). She also holds certifications in EMDR therapy and in Dr. Gottman’s Loving Couples, Loving Children program.

Raised in a predominantly Portuguese community, Dr. Nancy takes pride in both reaching her long-held academic goals and in community advocacy work, including receiving the 2012 Victim Activist of the Year Award for her efforts around intimate partner violence. Fascinated by brain science, she often offers psycho-education about how trauma affects the brain to help people understand patterns that keep them stuck. She helps clients identify the “hooks” from their past that interfere with healing, and she is clear about a collaborative pace and realistic progress - she half-jokingly notes that if the same issues are still the focus five years later, it may be time to make a change.

Now living in Vermont after nearly three decades there, Dr. Nancy balances professional life with family and travel, and she values the privilege of partnering with people as they work toward recovery and growth.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Dr. Nancy often draws from cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR therapy to address symptoms and past experiences in practical, targeted ways. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to distress and teaching skills to change those patterns - it is commonly used for anxiety, depression, stress, and some addiction-related behaviors. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused approach that helps the brain process distressing memories so they have less emotional charge; it is frequently used for trauma and abuse recovery and for experiences that continue to trigger strong reactions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dr. Nancy collaborates with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as therapy progresses so it remains responsive and client-centered.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility for people balancing work, family, or geographic limits. Through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, licensed professionals and therapists can provide regular support, teach coping skills, and maintain continuity of care when in-person visits are difficult. These options make it easier to attend sessions consistently and to access care from where a person feels most comfortable.