Online in North Carolina
(Online Only)
Life can feel incredibly overwhelming or paralyzing when you are constantly battling intense emotions, past trauma, or the daily chaos of ADHD—especially when those struggles overlap. My approach balances deep self-compassion and practical, real-world skills. My practice combines the highest standard of evidence-based therapies with a warm, deeply human approach. Together, we will build a tailored toolkit.
Client Focus
Session Format: Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Senior, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: Men, Women clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) A collaborative, client-centered approach that strengthens motivation for change. It is especially effective for addictions and health behaviors.
- Psychoeducational Therapy Provides education and coping tools about mental health conditions. It empowers clients with knowledge and practical skills.
Approach Description: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Perfect for managing intense anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation, relationship struggles, or impulsive behaviors.
Prolonged Exposure (PE): If trauma or PTSD is keeping you trapped in the past, PE is a highly effective, structured framework designed to help you safely process those memories so they lose their power over your present life.
CBT for ADHD: Whether you have a formal diagnosis or strongly suspect you have ADHD, I utilize a specialized, manual-based (but highly personalized) cognitive behavioral approach to build practical systems for focus, organization, and time management.
Exposure therapy: Most people want to avoid anxiety or the events that prompt anxiety, which doesn't help and often makes anxiety worse. Exposure therapy is about effectively approaching instead of avoiding, which actually retrains an anxious brain and reduces the power of anxiety.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is used as a complimentary approach to the others. Whether we are grounding your nervous system during exposure therapy, learning to pause before reacting to an intense emotion, or catching an ADHD distraction before it derails your day, mindfulness helps you step out of autopilot and fully engage with the skills you are learning.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee 120
- Accepts Insurance
- BCBS, Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Meritain
Education & Credentials
Nicole Merrigan, LPA, PLLC MA, LPA
- Female
- License # 4471
- Licensed in NC
- Practicing Since 2013
Education: B.A. in Psychology (magna cum laude, departmental honors) — University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2010;
M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Concentration in Substance Abuse Treatment Psychology) — University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2012
Nicole Merrigan, LPA, PLLC Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available Online for residents of North Carolina
- Online Therapy Details: TheraPlatform
When you are struggling with mood swings/regulating your emotions, trauma, or executive dysfunction, just getting through the day can feel like a grueling task. Many of the adults I work with face a combination of these challenges, leaving them feeling stuck, exhausted, or misunderstood.
My approach to therapy is highly integrative, structured, and deeply collaborative. I draw from a diverse toolkit of proven, evidence-based treatments, tailoring our sessions to exactly what you need in the moment. Central to my practice is the integration of mindfulness, which serves as a powerful foundational tool that complements and enhances every modality I use.
Specialized Approaches I Utilize:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT),
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT),
Exposure Therapy,
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT),
Motivational Interviewing (MI),
Mindfulness.
Who I Serve:
I work exclusively with adults (ages 18+) who are ready to build genuine self-acceptance while actively learning the skills needed to change their lives.