10 Questions with Nicole Rikos

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

• My personal experiences of trauma, adversity and health challenges in my teens and early 20's are what led me to start studying and learning about all things mental health and healing related - mind, body and spirit. When I personally experienced that healing is possible, everything opened up for me. My life transformed and I wanted others to experience this freedom from their burdens too. I've always loved the saying "the healed, heal", it rings true for my journey. The ripple effect of this work on families and communities is just amazing, it's what continues to influence and inspire me.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional/personal development?

• Professional and personal development is a continuous journey for me, there is really no end to healing and growth. I have been fortunate to have had great mentors and undertaken studies with individuals who's philosophies and teaching continue to influence me. There are so many, to name a few, the work of Carl Jung, Peter Levine, Deb Dana, Pat Ogden, Diane Poole Heller, Babette Rothschild, have greatly influenced my approach.
  
  

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

• The impact of trauma on the nervous system. Whether it is intergenerational, birth trauma, illness or a specific event or experience a person has had, either recently or in the past. The way the body stores trauma and the influence this has on our thinking, our behaviours, belief systems and overall health and well being is my speciality and the area of health and healing I am deeply interested and invested in.
  
  

• What method/s do you use?

• I am trained as a counsellor, psychotherapist, somatic experiencing practitioner and embodied movement, blending talk therapy with body orientated therapies is my core approach. I also incorporate creative and experiential methods into my practice, and the principles of attachment therapy and poly vagal theory. I have a good tool kit I can draw from depending on individual needs.
  
  I know that true healing happens in the context of the therapeutic relationship by being present and attuned to experiences as they unfold in the present moment. This is immensely important to the clients experience of safety, connection, trust, growth and healing that happens within the therapeutic relationship.

• When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

• This is very unique for everyone. However, when I hear people tell me they are coping better with everyday challenges, shifts in their relationships, managing their symptoms and triggers better and have more tolerance, this a good sign that something is shifting and that their nervous system is healing. When people start to experience better connection with others and look after themselves better, that's also a wonderful sign of progress.

• How has therapy made you a better person?

• That's a big question. If I was to sum it up though, I'd say therapy continues to bring the qualities of humility, gratitude and hope into my life.
  

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

• This is a big one too! I would sum this question up by saying it's incredibly rewarding, enriching and sparks all my interests as it's creative, scientific and spiritual. I also get to connect with people from so many different backgrounds and experiences. I don't think there are many professions out there that offer such a rich insight into the uniqueness of the human experience.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

• Of course! It's a part of being human. You can be doing all the right things for your health and well being but sometimes you just have a bad day. Learning to ride the ups and downs in life and showing our vulnerabilities can be a beautiful thing.

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

• Lack of connection to each other, ourselves, our community and the environment. I see it in all aspects of my work, from parenting stress to issues of loneliness faced by the elderly in the community to the climate change anxiety our young people are experiencing. It starts with the connection we have with ourselves, increasing our awareness of our bodies, minds, behaviours, emotions and interpersonal dynamics.
  
  

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

• So many! Inspiration comes in many different forms depending on where I am at in life but books are a constant. I always have about 6 on the go. Stories that speak to the thread of a women's journey through the generations always capture my heart. I also enjoy books that capture what life was like in a different time.
  
  Therapeutically, the Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk and Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine, Healing our Attachment Wounds by Diane Poole Heller were game changer's for me among many others. I am currently reading My Grandmothers Hand's by Resmaa Menakem which offers a very insightful and alternative view of what we can do to grow beyond our entrenched racial divide! Very inspiring!