Clinician Spotlight: An Interview with Nicole Curtis, LICSW

Clinician Spotlight: An Interview with Nicole Curtis, LICSW

Lauren Chapin, LICSW

Welcome back to Clinician Spotlight, a series where I sit down with some of our wonderful therapists for a cozy conversation about work, mental health, and many life tidbits in between. Recently, I had the pleasure of getting to know our newest clinician, Nicole. She discussed the joy she feels working with children and their families, her approach to clinical work, and where she loves to snowboard. 


Lauren: Welcome, Nicole! You're new to Castlebrook, where are you coming from and what’s your background?

Nicole: I work full-time as a medical social worker at UMass Memorial Medical Center, where I specialize in neurology and neurosurgery. Although I've been in this role for only three years, my entire social work career prior to this was focused on pediatrics. Working with children and their families has always been my passion within the clinical field.

Lauren: Wow! How did you get into medical social work?

Nicole:  I had been wanting to delve deeper into this field for a few years, and then, when COVID hit, the opportunity came up unexpectedly. 

Lauren: That's great! What made you want to start doing individual therapy again?

Nicole: I miss the clinical work and the life-changing impact it can have. I love seeing the successes of my clients, which I don’t experience as often in the medical world. In hospitals, people are often at their most vulnerable, so it can be challenging to witness their progress. I needed to return to a role where I can make a difference by talking with someone and helping them achieve their goals, rather than dealing with the often broken systems that many people face.

​Lauren: Yeah, that makes total sense. Do you work only with kids or a variety? 

Nicole: In my medical social work job, I work exclusively with individuals who are 18 and older. However, at Castlebrook, I'll be working with children and their families, as well as couples, which is where my true passion lies. It’s a small percentage of the population I haven’t yet reached, but I do have a special interest in foster families and adoption. These areas hold a special place in my heart, and I’m deeply committed to helping children and parents involved in these situations. Whether it's assisting kids currently in foster care and supporting their parents in reunification or helping families navigate the next chapter when relationships have strained, working with these families is a significant reason why I entered social work. I’m excited to return to serving this particular community.

Lauren: That's amazing. How did you get started working with kids in general? 

Nicole: My first step into social work was with the Department of Children and Families (DCF). I started there during my undergraduate work. I’ve had personal experience with DCF through distant family members, which has given me a unique perspective on these situations from both a professional and personal standpoint. This experience has deepened my understanding and reinforced my commitment to working with children and supporting them across various systems.

Lauren: What style of therapy do you gravitate towards? Especially for kids, families, and couples.
 
Nicole: I think working with kiddos is different. If a child needs one-on-one play therapy or floor therapy to address their needs, I can provide that. I really enjoy structured family work, which is a big part of my clinical skills, along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for parents and their kids. Those are the main areas where my clinical skills are focused, but structured family work is my niche. That’s definitely the type of work I love the most. 

Lauren: What do you mean by structured family work? 

Nicole: Working from the bottom up, generational patterns often lead to specific traumas for clients. It’s important to delve deep into these issues rather than just addressing surface-level concerns. This involves understanding how you were raised, how you're raising your children, and how they perceive your parenting. Exploring the family structure—often referred to as the family tree—can reveal long-standing relationship issues. For instance, you might identify patterns from your upbringing that you don’t want to repeat with your kids. Remember, it’s never too late to address and change these patterns. This approach is also helpful for young adults and teenagers trying to understand their parents. 

Lauren: That sounds like it goes with your style of meeting people where they're at when you first start.

Nicole: Yeah, I think a key thing for me when I start with a client is that, while there are obviously reasons why you want to go to therapy, we should get to know each other first. My approach is that, although I am an expert in social work, I am not an expert in your life. You are the expert on yourself, so I need you to teach me who you are. I need to understand you to best support you. Your feedback on my suggestions is crucial for making progress toward your goals. If I make a suggestion and it doesn’t work for you, then we need to go back to the drawing board. I’m here to guide you, not to wave a magic wand and fix all your problems. My role is to help you figure out what will work better for you than what was tried before.

Lauren: What might you tell a parent who's nervous about bringing their child to therapy?

Nicole: You know, there are all different reasons, like the culture of therapy, the stigma of mental illness, and your cultural and religious beliefs. The first thing I would say is that it's not going to be easy; it's a scary and uncomfortable step. But the best thing is to recognize that this uncomfortable situation is happening and let's deal with it together. Let’s figure out where you’re at and be with you at that point. If you just want to talk about simple things, then let’s do that and focus on surface-level issues. I’ll be transparent that surface-level discussions might not get you to your eventual goals, but we’ll take it day by day. It’s about being able to sit with the discomfort and acknowledging that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable. 

Lauren: That’s great. Shifting gears, what do you like to do in your spare time? 

Nicole: I love being outdoors and snowboarding—I'm definitely a winter person through and through. We’re a snowboarding family, which is a lot of fun. On the flip side, I also enjoy the ocean, so you can find me at the beach in the summer or in the mountains during the winter. Recently, I’ve taken up reading, which I never thought I’d say. I’ve also started embroidering. 

Lauren: What have you been reading? 

Nicole: I'm a psychological thriller kind of gal, so anything Frida McFadden. But, I’ve also just started reading this sobby love story, it's like all based on a romantic comedy family dynamic, so yeah that's what I've been reading!

Lauren: Great! I like metaphors, and I like how metaphors can be used in therapy. Can you think of any particular intervention or metaphor you use that often lands with your clients?

Nicole: It’s just a saying, but one thing I often tell my clients is that being uncomfortable is okay. It doesn’t make things any easier, but it’s still okay. The key is to process that discomfort. I’ve found that this has been a common theme in my sessions this past week. It’s interesting to see how people react to this idea. They often realize that it’s true—uncomfortable situations are something we naturally try to avoid, whether it’s a social interaction or confronting someone about our feelings. Acknowledging that discomfort is the first step toward dealing with it. 

Lauren: What is your favorite vacation spot?

Nicole:I love San Diego, California, but I must say that the state of Maine holds a very special place in my heart, no matter how cold the water is. I even have a tattoo of their motto, “The Way Life Should Be.” My parents had a place there for 20 years. 

Lauren: What's one thing that you would really want a potential client to know about you? 

Nicole: Nothing you say will scare me away from supporting you. No matter what you’re going through or what you might feel isn’t okay to say out loud, it’s okay to share with me. I approach each situation with an open, caring, and empathetic heart. So, no matter what you say or do, I’ll always support you on your therapeutic journey. That’s what’s truly important.

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