Dr. Nicole Donato, LPC

Dr. Nicole Donato brings a deep commitment to understanding human behavior and helping people navigate emotional challenges. She holds two master’s degrees and a PhD in Psychology, and she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - a credential that indicates formal training and state licensure to provide counseling services. She has been licensed in New Jersey since 2006 and has held roles across clinical settings, including inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient therapy, and work as a social worker for a foster family agency.

Alongside clinical work, Dr. Donato is a college professor who values the teaching process and the satisfaction that comes when students gain new insight. That same dedication to learning informs her therapeutic approach. She draws from client-centered therapy to build strong therapeutic alliances, striving to be genuine and empathetic while working to understand each person’s life experience. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is also a central part of her practice, helping clients identify activating events, recognize unhelpful self-talk, and reframe patterns that contribute to distress. She supplements these approaches with techniques from motivational interviewing and psychodynamic therapy to tailor care to each person’s needs.

Dr. Donato works with concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, eating and body image issues, relationship and family challenges, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem struggles, and a range of other life adjustments. She also focuses on areas such as abandonment, caregiver stress, codependency, forgiveness, and life purpose. Her style emphasizes collaboration, practical skills, and exploration of deeper patterns when helpful. She also engages with clients using online methods and values the flexibility that virtual work can provide for people managing busy lives or other constraints.