Nicole Guessford, LCSW
Compassionate, practical therapy for everyday struggles
Details
| Name | Nicole Guessford |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LCSW |
| Based in | Pennsylvania |
| Licensed in | Pennsylvania, Virginia |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 23 |
About Nicole
Nicole Guessford is a licensed clinical social worker with 23 years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, and relationship struggles. She works in a direct, structured style and often suggests simple tasks to try between sessions.
Nicole tailors conversations and plans to each person's needs. She believes in treating people with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. She emphasizes self-care and self-compassion as part of recovery.
Her approach draws on Narrative therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, among other methods.
Background and approach
She uses these to help people notice unhelpful stories they tell themselves and to choose actions that match their values. Conversations are practical and goal oriented while still honoring personal history. Nicole is licensed in Pennsylvania and Virginia as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW.
Her practice has a holistic bent and she blends client-centered listening with structured skills work. She frequently assigns short exercises to practice between appointments. All sessions are provided via telehealth to comply with insurance rules.
She offers video calls as the primary format and designs treatment for weekly or bi-weekly appointments based on what fits the person’s goals.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse among the things Nicole works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Family problems
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Midlife crisis
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Somatic Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Nicole among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Nicole directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Nicole directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and ACT-based work fits online
Nicole uses Narrative therapy to help people notice the stories they tell about themselves and their relationships. This approach helps rewrite unhelpful narratives and makes room for new choices when facing issues like grief, relationship strain, or identity concerns.She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on identifying personal values and taking committed action even when difficult thoughts or feelings appear. ACT can help with anxiety, stress, chronic pain, and coping with life changes by emphasizing values-based steps.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will listen to your goals and try methods that fit your needs and preferences. Together you adjust the balance of listening, skills practice, and narrative work so sessions feel practical and meaningful.
Online sessions are offered by video calls and are designed for weekly or bi-weekly appointments. Video lets you use visual cues during conversation and supports structured exercises together. Phone sessions are not provided for clinical work, and messaging or phone-based clinical support is not offered due to insurance rules. The telehealth format makes scheduling more flexible and helps people fit sessions into busy lives without travel.
Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Nicole help with?
She helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy-related issues, parenting strains, and issues like body image, ADHD, and chronic illness challenges.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is structured and direct while remaining compassionate and sensitive. She blends listening with practical exercises and often gives short tasks to practice between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She brings 23 years of professional experience to her work with clients and has developed a practical, skills-oriented way of helping people move forward.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, licensed in Pennsylvania and Virginia and practices from Pennsylvania.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
All sessions are provided via telehealth, with video calls as the primary format; she does not provide clinical support over phone or messaging due to insurance rules.
How does payment and cost work?
She works with insurance and sessions follow insurance guidelines; costs vary with insurance and location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Nicole are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Nicole where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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