Nicole Gisondi , Master’s Degree Candidate, Intern
1. One of my favorite childhood memories is . . .
Trick or treating with my brother! He is much older than me but would still be by my side going up to the scary houses. Afterwards we would pour out all our candy onto the table and trade goodies!
2. I love being a mental health counselor because . . .
It allows me to live out my passion of helping others and making a difference in their lives.
3. A life lesson I’ve learned from my clients is . . .
Through every setback we can reflect and learn more about ourselves that we did before and work towards a better self.
4. Three words that describe my counseling style are . . .
Altruistic, humorous, and empathetic.
5. When I’m not in counseling sessions, you’ll find me . . .
cuddled up with my cat watching reality TV.
6. Three people who inspire me are . . .
my partner, my therapist, and my clients!
7. A quote that I live by is . . .
“Treat People with kindness.”
8. One thing guaranteed to push me out of my comfort zone is . . .
allowing myself to accept and acknowledge the uncomfortable feelings that could potentially be occurring.
9. My best self-care technique is . . .
singing in the car (very loudly and not well).
10. This is how I found counseling and how counseling found me . . .
when I was 12 years old I started my own journey of healing and came across some of the most amazing people I have ever met that led me to grow into the woman I am today. Since then, I have wanted to be that person for as many people as possible.
11. One thing I could not live without is . . .
an animal companion. I’ve had dogs, cats, birds, gerbils, turtles, and fish. They’ve brought such joy to my life! Right now I have 3 turtles and 1 cat but I’m definitely looking to expand the zoo.
12. If I were to tell a friend about mental health counseling, I would say . . .
Anyone and everyone could benefit from it! You don’t need to have a mental health concern to talk to an unbiased, non-judgmental, and supportive individual. You are allowed to be your most vulnerable self, in a safe setting, and learn things that can get you closer to your goals.
13. The approaches I draw from in my counseling practice are . . .
Psychodynamic, person-centered, behavioral, and cognitive behavioral.
14. Clients that challenge me the most have this in common . . .
Those who don’t respect boundaries. With this work, we as counselors will set boundaries from the start both with ethical and personal reasons and hope our clients will respect them