Introducing February’s Featured Therapist, Nicki Nathan, MFT
Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our staff therapists on the blog. February’s Featured Therapist Nicki Nathan, MFT, has a background in psychiatry and is a graduate of our Post Graduate Certificate Training Program. Check out the brief interview below to learn more about Nicki!
What is your background and why did you choose CFR?
My background is first as a doctor (trained at Kings College, London) and then as a psychiatrist (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa). I enrolled in the Post-Graduate Program at Council for Relationships and trained as a Marriage and Family Therapist because I was intrigued by the idea of expanding my view of an individual to include their relationships, their family, their background, and their cultural context. I am interested in assessing interpersonal and relationship dynamics, and exploring alternatives to medication in the treatment of emotional problems.
What do you consider to be the goal of therapy?
The goals of therapy will vary enormously depending on the client. My first task in therapy is to work together with the client to try and verbalize goals. This can be challenging. Many clients come to therapy but are not clear on what they want to be different, or how things might be different. The clearer we can be about what our goals in therapy are, the better I can tailor the process and keep us on track. Goals may change during the course of therapy, so we can revisit this conversation as often as we need to.
Tell us a little about what makes you unique as a therapist and person.
Something unique about me is that having lived in several different countries, I have an interest and a comfort in working with diverse clients. I am particularly drawn to working with issues of migration, or separation from family, although most of my clients would not necessarily fit this description. My current favorite author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, grew up in Nigeria, lived in Philadelphia, and set her most recent novel between Nigeria, London and the US. This experience resonates for me, and it encourages me to always look for the commonality of human experience instead of the differences that separate us.