Therapist in Ann Arbor, Michigan - Mala Child & Family Institute - Elizabeth Nick

Elizabeth Nick, PhD, LP

Psychologist

Ann Arbor & Virtual

Hey there! My name is Liz, and I'm a licensed clinical psychologist for kids, teens, adults, and families. Welcome, and thank you for considering therapy or assessment with us!

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Therapy

Empathy and humor at the heart of my practice, as well as a deep respect for my clients' expertise in their own experience, stressors, and context, regardless of their age. I also strive to work with cultural humility and to affirm neurodivergent identities. You are the expert in you!

Much of my work has been helping individuals with internalizing difficulties - that is, when the effects of anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, or trauma make life challenging. I like to use a blend of techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), skills from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and mindfulness and grounding skills. I've also trained to help families handle externalizing difficulties like inattention and impulsivity. In this work, I use behavioral, developmental, and trauma-informed lenses like parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) and collaborative problem-solving (CPS) to help parents understand and redirect their child's behavior.

To me, therapy has two equally important parts: figuring things out and trying something new. Figuring things out means working together to assess difficult symptoms and how they may have developed over time. Once we understand these vulnerabilities, we can learn how they interact with stressors to produce the thoughts, emotions, sensations, and behavior urges that are making things difficult in the present moment. Then it's time to experiment with new interpretations, communication, behaviors, and coping skills! These come from evidence-based therapies and aim to get you closer to the values and goals most important to you.

Assessment

I strive to create a warm, friendly, and compassionate assessment environment, and to walk you findings that are clear, accurate, and actionable. I bring experience in assessing for learning disabilities and ADHD, as well as psychodiagnostic assessments for a range of mental health concerns (e.g., anxiety, mood, obsessive-compulsive, trauma and stressor, and disruptive disorders).

  • BS, Human Development and Psychological Services, Northwestern University – 2008-2012

    PhD, Clinical Science, Vanderbilt University – 2014-2020

    LP (Licensed Psychologist), Michigan – 2024

    PSYPACT (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact) – 2024

  • Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), Cognitive Processing (CPT), Culturally Sensitive, Dialectical Behavioral (DBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Family Systems, Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT), Psychological Testing and Evaluation, Trauma Focused

  • Anxiety, Behavioral Issues, Child, Coping Skills, Depression, Neurodiversity-affirming, Parenting, Peer Relationships, School Issues, Stress, Testing and Evaluation, Trauma and PTSD

  • Mood disorders, Anxiety disorders, Stress-related disorders

  • Individuals, Family, Group

    Children (6 to 10), Preteen, Teen, Adults

    Offers special insight for Secular and non-religious Clients

    Allied with and experience supporting clients in Bisexual Allied, Body Positivity, Gay Allied, Lesbian Allied, Non-Binary Allied, Queer Allied, Racial Justice Allied, Transgender Allied

  • Ann Arbor & Remote

Therapy in Ann Arbor, Michigan - Mala Child & Family Institute - Elizabeth Nick

Get to know Elizabeth

  • As a teenager, I knew I loved both science and working with children, and when I got to college, I realized that child psychology was a perfect blend of the two. I also knew from working with many families, as well as from my own and my loved ones' experiences, the toll that anxiety and depression can take on an individual, especially as they develop and grow. When it was time for more training, I learned research techniques and therapy skills with a special emphasis on youth depression and anxiety.

  • I love getting to know each client and their hopes for the future, then cheering them on as they move closer and closer to their goals! 

  • "You are worth the time it takes to learn a new skill" - Mercury Stardust (about DIY home maintenance, but super relevant to mental health!)

  • I hope sessions with me feel like a walk in the woods - flexible enough that we can pause and take detours, but always guided by a path set by your goals.