About Nicole sanchez, lcsw, SIFI
Queer.
Trauma-centered.
Ready to go there with you.
I’m a New York City-based therapist and clinical supervisor who specializes in treating trauma with EMDR and other experiential trauma therapies to guide you towards deeper lasting healing.
Is this you?
Whether the pain is fresh or familiar, you’re here because you're ready for something real to shift.
Recognizing the immense challenges you encounter, including lack of affirming support, discrimination, and the weight of cisheteronormative expectations, I wholeheartedly empathize with your longing for healing and progress.
Your journey to overcome the overwhelming exhaustion and disorientation of trauma is deeply respected, seen and understood.
The clients I work with want therapy that’s affirming and informed, and with someone they can actually talk to."
I work with LGBTQ+ youth and adults who are tired of carrying the weight of trauma alone. They’re over the second-guessing, being stuck in spirals and feeling like a burden just for existing.
They come to therapy when survival mode stops working, and the urge to feel grounded, seen, and real finally outweighs the fear of facing the pain.
I’m a relational psychodynamic trauma therapist who doesn’t play the neutral therapist role. I’m present, real and in it with you.
I offer connection that’s safe, steady, and honest, so you can stop shape-shifting and finally be yourself.
From there, we get to work.
Together, we name what’s shaped you, call out the patterns, and build something stronger. Not just coping, but healing, integrating, becoming.
HOW I WORK
Therapy with me is…
-
Healing isn’t linear. Sometimes, creativity offers the clearest path. I bring curiosity and flexibility to help you uncover fresh insight. Creative therapy means new angles, new language, and new tools. We’ll break old patterns by trying something different.
-
In a practical manner, I integrate principles of neuroscience and understanding of brain function, providing insights into the biological underpinnings of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors for a deeper understanding of your therapeutic process.
-
We’re in this together, actively shaping your healing process side by side. This is a shared space where your voice matters and your goals guide the work.
-
My approach honors the connection between mind, body and spirit to support your whole-person healing and transformation.
specializing in:
Trauma
LGB/Queer Issues
Transgender Issues
EMDR
More about my experience
More Than Affirming. Trauma-Centered Therapy Backed by 20 Years of Showing Up.
I started my mental health career in 2004 at a group home in Los Angeles, supporting LGBTQ+ youth facing complex trauma—including those with sex offense charges. As a facility manager, I provided affirming, trauma-informed care in an intense and highly stigmatized setting.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve specialized in LGBTQ+ mental health through gender studies, hands-on work at The LGBT Center, and a deep commitment to queer history, advocacy, and healing. As a member of the community, I show up with humility, curiosity, and lived understanding.
My trauma work began by holding space for painful stories. I went on to complete a 3-year postgraduate certificate in Integrative Trauma Studies at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, where I trained in experiential approaches that support deep, lasting healing.
In addition to LGBTQ+ clients, I’ve worked across diverse cultural and spiritual backgrounds in clinics, schools, and hospitals throughout Queens and the Bronx—helping people navigate trauma, mood disorders, and psychosis with care and nuance.
Today, I offer individual psychotherapy for children, teens, and adults. My approach blends psychodynamic, trauma-focused, attachment-based, and somatic methods. I’m also trained in EMDR, offering personalized care that’s affirming, effective, and built for real change.
My Training & Education
CERTIFICATIONS
Integrated Trauma Training Program, three year post-graduate training, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), L 1 & 2
Certificate in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy & Psychedelic Integration
Seminar in Field Instruction, New York University
EDUCATION
In 2013, I received a Masters of Science in Social Work from the Columbia University School of Social Work. My concentration at Columbia was Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice with a focus on Health, Mental Health and Disabilities.
In 2011, I received bachelors degrees in Psychology and Gender Studies from the University of Southern California. While pursuing the gender studies degree, the focus consisted of LGBTQ+ issues.