Nora Mickowski, LCSW

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Telemental Health Certified Badge by Person Centered Tech

About Me

I'm a neurodivergent, disabled TCK with a dark sense of humor, and I often swear in session. I’m deeply empathetic but brutally honest, and I won't push you to quit drugs or other “unhealthy” behaviors (unless you ask me to!). 

Before becoming a therapist, I was a teacher, a fencing instructor, a sailor, a SCUBA diver, and a world traveler. I was raised on Star Trek and Star Wars (yes, both), Tolkien, and Greek mythology, and my personal fandoms include (among others): Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Zelda, and Steven Universe. When I’m not tinkering with brains, I enjoy cooperative board games, indie video games, and cake. I have two cats, one human, and an alarming number of houseplants.

I was trained as a Social Worker, and I’ve been in the mental health field for over 14 years. I’ve worked in hospital settings, in residential treatment, with supportive housing programs, and on the streets as a community mental health provider. Basically, I’ve seen a lot, so I’m not easily fazed. I’m gender-affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, fat-affirming, poly-affirming, kink-affirming… Are you noticing a trend?

About my Practice

Many of my clients have ADHD or chronic illnesses, which can make it difficult to attend sessions regularly. Because of this, I offer flexible rescheduling, keeping several slots open each week for last-minute changes, and (unlike most therapists) I won’t discharge you just for poor attendance. I’ll also never guilt or lecture you for missing sessions, and you won’t owe me an excuse or explanation when you do! It’s really none of my business why you skip a session.

Most of the folx I work with are queer, neurodivergent, or both, and I especially enjoy working with other HSPs, spoonies, zebras, and gamers, as well as burners, creatives, and anyone who doesn’t fit society’s standard mold. I also have a special interest in helping those who have been neglected or harmed by the medical-industrial complex, those with invisible or dynamic illnesses or disabilities, and those who are still searching for a diagnosis.

I currently hold licenses in both Texas (license no. 67310) and Illinois (license no. 149.018728), so I can see clients who are physically located in either of those two states. I’m currently telehealth-only in order to provide maximum schedule flexibility for my clients, though I do hope to open a physical office again in the future, once I’m able to find an appropriate/accessible space.

Still not sure if I’m the right therapist for you? Or maybe (like me) you tend to do a fair amount of research before making big decisions. Either way, here are some more details…

FAVORITE THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES:

  • ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

  • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

  • CBTi (CBT for Insomnia)

  • CPT for PTSD (Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) - [Wherein we spend ~12 weeks and many worksheets logically picking apart the warped beliefs your trauma left in your brain, gory details optional.]

  • WET for PTSD (Written exposure therapy for PTSD) - [Wherein you write about your trauma for ~5 sessions, and I’m basically your editor, but you never have to talk about it to my face.]

    I am also trained in a specialized coaching technique called the Values-Based Integration Process (also known as “Unmasking Coaching”) developed by Heather Morgan, (who trained me) and referenced in the popular book Unmasking Autism by Devon Price.

Areas of focus:

  • People who have been neglected or harmed by the medical-industrial complex

  • People living with chronic illnesses or disabilities (spoonies and zebras welcome!)

  • Neurodivergent folx - (e.g. ADHDers, Autistic folx, HSPs)

  • Trauma survivors

  • LGBTQIA+ folx (including transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming folx, asexuals, demisexuals, and graysexuals, and those who don’t yet have the words to describe their identities)

You may NOT be a great fit if YOU…

  • Just want to vent, not try anything new.

  • Are highly resistant to therapy, and need to be talked into it.

  • Are only here to change someone else’s behavior, not your own. (Spoiler alert: that’s not how therapy works! There, I saved you a bunch of money and disappointment.)

  • Despise humor, sarcasm, and/or profanity and believe these have no place in the therapy room.

  • Want help losing weight (I cannot ethically support intentional weight loss as a goal, though I can support health-oriented goals around nutrition or exercise.)