Rising Stars: Meet Nicole Elliott, LPC, PMH-C of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Elliott, LPC, PMH-C.

Hi Nicole, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I received my Master of Counseling degree from Arizona State University (ASU) in 2017 after completing my Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in literature in 2014.

During my graduate program, I interned with ASU Counseling Services providing mental health services to university students for a variety of presenting concerns unique to emerging adulthood: challenges navigating greater independence and personal responsibility, uncertainty around identity (e.g., “who am I?”) and other existential matters, interpersonal struggles, etc.

My first postgraduate job centered around providing in-home counseling services to individuals in the community struggling with some form of disability, often due to chronic health issues and/or the effects of aging. Much of my work involved teaching assertiveness and self-advocacy skills, processing medical trauma, navigating issues of death and dying, and creating space for grief.

I joined the team at Biltmore Psychology and Counseling (BPC) in early 2021. My areas of focus and expertise have grown to include mindful self-compassion practice, perinatal mental health, and emotionally-focused couples therapy.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My path to becoming a counselor was a circuitous one. As a child and through my teens, I cannot recall ever having had a clear vision for my future. I entertained multiple and varied career paths during my first few years of college without settling on any single one with confidence. I felt so lost and somehow deficient to be struggling with something so seemingly fundamental.

What ultimately guided me toward the counseling profession were my own experiences of being deeply invested in, emotionally and spiritually, by trusted others. Feeling safe enough to be truly seen and known without pretense or hiddenness brought profound healing to my life and I eventually realized my passion and purpose in providing a safe space for others to pursue their own growth and healing.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My favorite work centers around helping individuals develop a more positive sense of self. Many of us come to believe that our worth stems from what we can do and how well we can do it, which is inherently comparison-based and drives us to constantly examine how we stack up against others. Because each of us cannot be the “best” at everything, all at once, all of the time, this becomes a problematic way of assessing our value and is extremely detrimental to our mental health. Embracing the view that a person’s worth is rooted in their being, as opposed to their doing, reduces the overwhelming pressure that we often feel to perform and produce. You are worthy (of connection, love, etc.) simply because you exist.

I am also excited about my recent certification in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) and working with mothers, fathers, and families navigating pregnancy and the postpartum period. Perinatal mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, etc.) are the single most prevalent complication of childbearing. Yet, they are often misunderstood and go unaddressed due to the shame those experiencing them often carry. You are not alone and there is support!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The following quote, originally penned by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and reprised by Austrian psychiatrist, neurologist, and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, has been a pillar of my practice and my life: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” Meaning is a powerful tether and grounding force amidst suffering. Make meaning and hold on to hope.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.biltmorecounseling.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@biltmorepsychologyandcouns1834

Image Credits
Jen Lynn Studios (headshot)