Nicole Flibbert Laurino

I have available times Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 pm, and can meet in person in Oxford or online.

Welcome to my practice! I am a counsellor who trained and practised in the United States before resettling in Oxford. I work with teens and adults, in person in central Oxford and online. Common issues that my clients encounter include depression, anxiety, relationship/family of origin difficulties, sexual concerns, and grief. I specialise in trauma work, which might address distressing reminders of the trauma, issues with gaps in memory and dissociation, or interpersonal difficulties related to the trauma. I view therapy as a personal and collaborative process that involves curiosity, openness, and mutual reflection.

I work psychodynamically, so I am attuned to the significance of close relationships and childhood experiences. Psychodynamic therapy aims to bring insight into what was once unconscious. My clinical thinking is influenced by figures from psychoanalysis, philosophy and literature, but my approach is flexible and responds to the needs of each client.

I have worked with clients from many different backgrounds and life histories. I do my best to listen attentively and to pose thoughtful questions. It is my privilege to participate in this meaningful work, cultivating a relationship that centers openness, respect and dignity. 

About me

I received my MS Ed. in Counselling and Mental Health Services, and a MPhil in Professional Counselling, from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. My undergraduate degree was in English literature. I am certified to provide psychodynamic psychotherapy by the Philadelphia Center of Psychoanalysis (PCOP).

Before starting my private practice, I spent many years working in community mental health, where I provided treatment for children, teens and adults suffering from PTSD and other mental health conditions. I am LGBTQ+ affirming and has worked with clients from a variety of different spiritual and religious affinities. I seek to get to know each client as an individual and to honour the unique set of circumstances that brought them to therapy.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

In this approach, therapy typically lasts 1.5-2 years with a duration of once or twice per week. Therapy session are often open ended, although sometimes a more directed and goal oriented approach is needed. 

What is a trauma informed approach?

Trauma can stem from a specific event or set of events that were overwhelming to us. Trauma is sometimes stored in the body and is expressed through our emotions, pain or tension within the body, memory problems or through disruptions in sleep and our ability to fully rest. We can also view trauma as any kind of experience or realization that disrupts our ordinary way of seeing the world. Trauma informed therapy helps people to make sense of their experiences and to gradually process it in a supportive and affirmative setting.