- CBT techniques
- Person-centered work
- Motivational interviewing
About Nicole
Dr. Nicole Donato is an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey with 11 years of clinical experience. She works with adults on concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, eating and body image issues, relationship and intimacy matters, grief, and career stress. She also lists focus areas that include ADHD, compassion fatigue, parenting stress, and coping with life changes.
Nicole trained in both person-centered and cognitive behavioral approaches and often combines these with motivational interviewing and psychodynamic ideas. In practice she prioritizes a straightforward therapeutic relationship where clients feel genuinely heard and understood. She helps people notice the self-talk and patterns that contribute to upsetting feelings and behaviors.
Her background includes work in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, outpatient therapy settings, and employment as a social worker for a foster family agency. She currently teaches at the college level and brings that educator’s clarity to sessions, explaining concepts in plain language and checking that they make sense.
In sessions she uses practical CBT tools to identify activating events and the thoughts that follow, and she applies client-centered listening to understand each person’s experience. Motivational interviewing skills support change-oriented work such as addressing substance use or building healthier habits. Psychodynamic ideas may be used to look at recurring life patterns that cause difficulty.
Nicole offers therapy in English and does not take international clients. Before booking, users should confirm available session formats and scheduling details.
How her approaches translate to online sessions
Dr. Donato uses client-centered therapy to build a straightforward, respectful therapeutic relationship. That means she focuses on listening carefully, reflecting what she hears, and helping clients feel understood so they can talk through next steps. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to identify triggering events, notice unhelpful self-talk, and practice different thinking or behavioral strategies to reduce distress. Motivational interviewing helps when clients are weighing change, such as addressing substance use or shifting routines, by exploring ambivalence and strengthening personal reasons for change.Finding the right approach is part of the early work. She collaborates with each client to decide which methods fit their goals and preferences, adjusting techniques over time based on progress and feedback. The process is meant to be practical and goal-focused while still attending to personal history and patterns.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a student or work schedule, shorten travel time, and support brief check-ins between commitments. Some approaches, like CBT exercises or motivational interviewing conversations, adapt well to remote sessions and can be used to make steady changes in everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
New Jersey
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she help with?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, eating concerns, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, ADHD, and related life changes.
How would she describe her therapy style?
She combines client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral tools, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic ideas to address thoughts, behaviors, and patterns.
What is her clinical background?
She has 11 years of experience and has worked in inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient therapy, and as a social worker for a foster family agency, and she currently teaches at the college level.
What credentials and location does she have?
She is an LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor in New Jersey and practices there.
Can I work with her if I live outside the US?
Sessions are provided in English and she is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are used?
The biography does not specify session formats; please confirm the available online session options before booking.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.