Nikki Kemezis

Nikki graduated from Saint Joseph's University with a degree in Sociology and then went on to Marywood University to earn a Master's degree in School Counseling.  To date, she has earned forty-eight post-Master’s graduate credits and countless professional development hours to further develop her counseling skills and increase her knowledge of new research, techniques and special populations.  She has fifteen years of experience in counseling and social work with people of all ages in various settings, including home-based, juvenile detention, elementary and middle schools, inpatient and outpatient mental health and addiction treatment centers, immigrant and refugee centers, family court, and also remote, for both school counseling and care coordination for COVID-19 positive patients during the pandemic.  

Nikki is passionate about working with children and families.  She strives to provide developmentally appropriate play-based support and skills training to kids dealing with stress, anxiety, depression and adjustment disorders. She firmly believes that the resilience of children and adolescents and the elasticity of their brains allows for a special window of time where the right therapeutic supports can positively alter the course of someone's entire life by fostering essential abilities, such as mindfulness, grit, empathy, and distress tolerance  As a long time youth clinician and a parent herself, Nikki empathizes with the challenges caregivers face and aims to support families, as well as children, in the management of emotional symptoms and resulting behaviors.  She is also very knowledgeable about DCF, juvenile justice, children with special needs, and the processes of special education eligibility and IEP and 504 development.  

Another area of passion and expertise for Nikki is working with adolescents and adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression and/or substance use disorders. She believes in empowering her clients to access their own innate strengths in order to help them cope and thrive.  She is also extremely invested in supporting women postpartum, as well as through motherhood and pregnancy loss.

In her free time, Nikki enjoys adventuring or relaxing with her husband, son, and pets.  She loves reading, yoga, traveling, baking, and spending time with family and friends.