Nikki Carter
SHE/HER
MSW | RSW
4+, parenting, pediatric and adult OCD, perfectionism, sleep difficulties and insomnia, trauma and sexual abuse, postsecondary concerns, repetitive body-focused behaviours, pediatric and adult anxiety such as social anxiety, panic, phobic concerns, excessive worry, and PTSD.
Nicoles’s training and work experience has focused largely on the cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) of anxiety, mood, and obsessive-compulsive and related difficulties in youth, emerging adults, postsecondary students, and adults. Her work and training history include community agency, family health team, hospital inpatient and outpatient, research, university, and private practice settings. Nikki was fortunate to receive cognitive behavioural training at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre (ATRC) and Mood Disorders Program (MDP) at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton. In addition to other settings, Nikki spent several years working at the student wellness centre at McMaster University and enjoys working with undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to her clinical practice, Nicole is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences where she teaches in the Michael G. Degroote School of Medicine and the Master of Science in Psychotherapy Program.
Nicole enjoys working with individuals wishing to explore adverse childhood experiences, relationships, mood, anxiety and related difficulties such as perfectionism and procrastination. She has a special interest in working with individuals and families navigating paediatric and adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related OC difficulties, as well as worry, panic, specific phobias, social anxiety, and sleep difficulties.
Nicole feels honoured to work with individuals who have experienced difficult life experiences such as early childhood trauma, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and incest, and intimate partner violence or intimidation.
Nikki is also the author of Brave on Purpose, a children's book that brings therapy principles to life, and the creator of Worries Card Sort, an assessment game that helps children safely share their inner worlds through play.
When Nicole isn’t working, she enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, CrossFit, reading and writing poetry, hiking, and chasing after her two red-haired toddlers!
Continued Professional Development
Engaging in lifelong training and supervision opportunities allows Nicole to remain up-to-date in evidence-based psychological approaches. Nicole's training has focused on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT); Mindfulness-Based approaches including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and becoming trained in Mindfulness for Emerging Adults through the MIEA within the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center; Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT); Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT); Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), ACT, and others. She is trained in Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) and continues to obtain supervision from EFFT, CBT, and DBT trained clinicians. In addition, Nicole has her certificate in infant mental health, and continues to participate in individual and group consultation.
Professional Memberships & Associations
Canadian Association of Cognitive & Behavioural Therapies (CACBT)
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
Ontario Association of Social Work (OASW)
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)