Dr. Nicole (Nikki) Lacherza-Drew

License No.	State
35SI00610200	New Jersey
023117	New York
544	Florida
048.0134265	Vermont

I am a Licensed Psychologist providing therapy to individuals throughout NJ, NY, FL & VT. I believe every person has different hurdles to conquer in life and might need assistance along the way. With that being said, I work with my patients to form a safe and comfortable treatment environment to successfully accomplish their treatment goals. When working with patients, I believe one of the most important factors is the therapeutic relationship. I take the time to build a strong relationship so I can best serve my patients.

My approach to therapy is simple: comfort and effectiveness.

Therapy is not cookie cutter! Each patient is unique, as are their symptoms. I want my patients to feel comfortable with me and the treatment process. That therapeutic relationship I mentioned earlier? This relationship allows me and my patients to work together in a collaborative manner to best achieve the treatment goals. It also helps me determine what interventions might be most effective. When working with children and adolescents, it is also very important to me to have a strong relationship with the parents/guardians.

I encourage you to reach out so we can discuss your needs and determine if I am the right fit for you!

PAYMENT & INSURANCE:
I do not accept insurance, but provide all patients with a "superbill" to submit to their insurance company for out of network reimbursement. Some helpful questions to ask your insurance company before meeting with an out of network provider:

1. Do I have out of network benefits? If so, what are there?
2. How high is my deductible that I need to reach?
3. Can you give me an estimated reimbursement rate? (Reimbursement rates vary by diagnosis and service code)
4. Do you cover remote/online/virtual therapy? If so, for how long will it be covered?

*I offer a select number of sliding/reduced fee spots.

EDUCATION: I had the pleasure of receiving both my undergraduate and graduate training at Saint Elizabeth University (formerly College of Saint Elizabeth) in Morristown, NJ.

POPULATIONS & SETTINGS:
Children
Teens
Adults
Individual and Group
In Person and Remote
Inpatient and Outpatient
Teaching

I have a variety of experience in the mental health field. My past experiences include working as a residential assistant for adults diagnosed with neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive disorders; providing in-home therapy to teens and their families; K-12 educational settings; and working with veterans and civilians in a state psychiatric hospital, suffering from chronic mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, and personality disorders. I have experience providing individual and group therapy, as well as developing curriculum to utilize in group therapy settings. When I am not meeting with patients, I teach both undergraduate and graduate psychology courses at local colleges and universities.

RESEARCH:
Health Psychology
LGBTQ+ Needs
Social Media Usage
Bullying
Self-Esteem

Aside from psychotherapy, I am also very interested in research. Research of mine has focused on how social media impacts both traditional and cyberbullying, as well as how self-esteem influences partner selection in relationships. I also had the opportunity to be part of a research team that measured life satisfaction and how mindfulness practices could benefit underprepared students in college. My dissertation examined mental health issues related to disclosure rates in individuals on the LGBTQ+ spectrum

TRAINING & APPROACH:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Person Centered

I am primarily trained in CBT, and person centered therapy. However, in order to provide the most evidence-based practices and effective therapy to my patients, I have training in several other areas. Depending on the needs of my patients, I may incorporate interventions and techniques from the following areas:

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Behavioral Modification
Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy
Habit Reversal Training
Crisis Intervention
Play Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Mindfulness & Positive Psychology
LGBTQIA+
Group Therapy
Telepsychology/Teletherapy/Remote

Several factors go into which method of therapy is appropriate for patients.

Degrees/Certifications

• Saint Elizabeth University - BA, Psychology
• Saint Elizabeth University - MA, Counseling Psychology
• Saint Elizabeth University - PsyD, Counseling Psychology