Nikki Goldwater (she/her)

I am a trauma- and attachment- informed therapist with a warm, collaborative, and insight-oriented style. I play with Internal Family Systems, psychodynamic and somatic approaches to help you better understand your inner world, explore past coping mechanisms that may no longer serve you, and increase connection to body and self. With over a decade of experience, I specialize in supporting parents, families, and children. My professional background in child welfare instilled in me a deep appreciation for the impact of past experiences on present behaviors and relationships. I believe in creating a safe, non-judgmental space where you can tap into your inner strength and wisdom. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University, as well as a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago. I have advanced training and certifications in various areas, including Fair Play facilitation, and in perinatal mental health.

I believe that you have within you the ability to heal and grow and that my job as your therapist is to help you figure out what's blocking you from feeling your own love and goodness. I believe that much of the suffering we experience is the result of the ongoing use of outdated strategies that once kept us safe but now keep us trapped, often fueling the exact experience we are hoping to avoid. I believe that our individualistic, patriarchal, late-stage capitalist culture subverts our ability to develop and maintain the deep, mutually beneficial, life giving community connections and then tell us the problem is that we're just not trying hard enough. And that even though that's not your fault, I believe you have agency. I believe you are deserving of the same care, thoughtfulness, and attention that you give to your family, work or relationships. I strive toward cultural humility and to ensure my services are inclusive to the BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent communities.