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THERAPIST

Nicole Malene, M.A.

Pronouns: She / Her / Hers

Individual Therapy

Anxiety, Life Transitions, Chronic Pain,

Stress / Burnout, Healthy Relationships, Trauma

Treatment Approaches 

Gestalt Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Humanistic/Existential Therapy

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Restorative Yoga Therapy

Health Psychology

StrengthsFinder Top 5 Strengths: 

  1. coming soon!

Nicole' Story

Hello there! Thanks for checking out my page to learn more about me and my work. I am excited and honored to get the chance to work with you throughout your mental health journey.  

 

I was born and raised in Nebraska, graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition & Exercise Health Science. Seeking change and adventure, I moved to Granada, Nicaragua after graduation to work in a local health center as a yoga instructor and personal trainer. Here, I learned how to speak Spanish and what it meant to work with a diverse range of individuals from all around the world; all while beginning a years-long journey of self discovery, searching for understanding of the workings of the world and my place in it. 

 

For much of my life, I struggled with perfectionism and a strong drive to overachieve—patterns that heightened in high school and through college, often leading to burnout. The story, “I am never doing enough” lived and haunted me constantly from the back of my mind – something I still work with to this day. My travels and new cultural experiences became a mirror and a medicine for these tendencies. Being outside my comfort zone forced me to slow down, adapt, and learn to let go of the need for constant planning and achieving. My definition of success began to shift, as did my priorities. This process of unlearning led me to India, where I studied under teachers of Iyengar’s Restorative Yoga Therapy method. There, I experienced firsthand the powerful healing effects of yogic practices on the mind and body, and began applying those teachings toward my own growth and healing. As I slowly began increasing my own self awareness, I started seeing and FEELING how much these decades old tendencies were affecting my body and overall health. I was chronically feeling antsy, often heavily fatigued, experiencing skin flare ups and above all, noticing how unsettled my nervous system was when I attempted to slow myself down. Not only did I have to work to rewire the many years of extreme hustling I was raised in, but had to slowly nurture my body to find ease in slowness. 

 

Enamored with mind-body health, I decided to dedicate myself to studying mental health and in 2024, earned my master’s degree in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University. Shortly after, I was asked to create my own Stress Management course at the collegiate level for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where I also teach courses in Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation Techniques. I specialize in Somatic and Gestalt therapy, which taps into the subconscious mind through the body to work with stuck patterns, unhelpful core beliefs and emotional exploration. My approach to therapy is holistic and draws on eastern philosophies centered around awareness practices, acceptance and compassion training. Centered primarily around nervous system regulation, I work to promote health in both the body and mind; guiding one’s inner energy towards a fuller and healthier expression of who they are.

 

For those needing more guidance, I offer personalized techniques and skills to build healthy habits, relationships and increased understanding of self. I am a firm believer that we cannot help ourselves until we truly understand the inner workings of our own mind and body — and sometimes we need help to do that! When we learn how to be more mindful, we can find what it means to stay grounded, move energy that is stuck in the body, and ride the waves of this crazy thing called life.

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nicole malene standing outside of bybs office in st. petersburg, fl, holistic counselor, counseling for anxiety symptoms

Nicole's Qualifications

Credentials

  • Bachelors of Science, Nutrition and Exercise Health Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  • Masters of Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, Naropa University

  • Touch for Health Synthesis, Levels 1-3

  • Restorative Yoga Therapy (500-hr RYT), Yoga Alliance

  • Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern #IMH27466

  • Supervised by Jamie Molnar, LMHC

Areas of Expertise

Therapeutic applications of Restorative Yoga:

Remember that it is always up to the client if, when and how Restorative Yoga is incorporated into the counseling experience. Don’t hesitate to discuss what this could look like in your consult session or anytime throughout your mental health journey with me.

 

I am a practicing yogi since 2012 and became certified to teach in 2015, specializing in Restorative Yoga Therapy in 2019. This methodology was created by Judith Lasater in the 1970s based on the teachings of B.K.S Iyengar, often referred to as one of the modern day fathers of yoga. It emphasizes postures, breath work and meditations that promote rest, relaxation and healing through balancing nervous system activation. The built in practices of introspection help guide individuals away from tense mental states, to those that deepen understanding and self-acceptance.

 

Due to the yogic method of finding harmony and balance within not only the body, but the mind as well, yoga and counseling complement each other wonderfully.

 

Here are some ways in which Restorative Yoga can be incorporated into our work together:

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  • Pranayama (breathing techniques & nervous system regulation)

 

  • The Kosha System (5 essential layers of the Self)

 

  • Chakras & Samskaras (Developmental traumas + maladaptive habits)

 

  • Svadhyaya (Shadow work + personal inquiry)

 

  • 8 Fold Path and Yoga Sutras that apply to current emotional, physical, and mental well-being

 

  • Meditation techniques

 

  • Relaxation techniques (Yoga Nidra, Sound healing)

 

  • Resources and recommended readings

 

  • Guided meditations to use at home

 

  • Specific physical postures related to therapy goal

 

  • Breath work / postures for pain management

GET STARTED

We are honored to be part of your holistic mental health journey and look forward to the opportunity to work with you!

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