Nicole Wheeler, LPC

Nicole Wheeler is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Pennsylvania with six years of direct counseling experience and a total of 27 years working in the mental health field. She draws on extensive work with family dynamics, parenting, autism, at-risk youth, obsessive compulsive behaviors, and chronic illness, and has a particular interest in supporting transition-aged clients and those struggling with skin picking and hair pulling. Nicole centers her work in a mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral framework that blends education about mental health and thinking processes with practical coping skills and cognitive restructuring to help people feel better.

She is trained in habit reversal techniques, exposure and response prevention (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and combined approaches that address repetitive behaviors and anxiety. These methods support identification of triggers, modification of environmental factors, and development of new coping strategies. ERP is used to gently and gradually expose clients to feared situations to reduce distress over time.

Nicole encourages a strengths-based view captured in the quote, "You are the author of your own life story" by C. Young, and she teaches a SELF model that emphasizes soul searching, altering one s environment, learning to love oneself, and practicing forgiveness. She values telehealth as a way to begin treatment and help clients grow, while noting that in-person services may be more appropriate for moderate to severe trauma requiring specific interventions. Nicole invites prospective clients to share symptom details during intake so she can determine whether her online skills are a good fit.

Evidence-Based Approaches for Online Therapy and Growth

Mindfulness Therapy helps people build greater awareness of thoughts and bodily sensations without judgment, often reducing reactivity and supporting calmer responses to stress. It is useful for anxiety, stress, obsessive behaviors, and adjusting to life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and practicing concrete skills to change behaviors and emotional responses; it is commonly used for anxiety, depression, and habit-related concerns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, combines acceptance strategies with values-based action, helping individuals clarify what matters to them and take meaningful steps even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Nicole works collaboratively with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and will tailor methods or combine approaches to find the best fit. The therapist-client relationship is used to try strategies and adjust them over time.

Online sessions through video calls, phone appointments, live chat, or text-based messaging offer flexibility for busy schedules, reduce travel time, and make ongoing support more accessible. These options allow consistent work on skills and habits from home while maintaining regular contact with licensed professionals and therapists who guide progress.