Meet the Founder

Dr. Wendy Nickerson

In my experience as a clinical psychologist, I learned the value of traditional approaches to mental health care; yet as an integrative health coach for over 10 years, I know that there is a greater scope and diversity to the techniques and tools available that can deeply impact the wellness of the whole person.

Read Dr. Nickerson's personal story...

View The Book: "Wild Women Never Get The Blues"

Professional Bio

Dr. Wendy Nickerson

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CREDENTIALS
  • Licensed Psychologist (R0450) Nova Scotia
  • Licensed Psychologist (4277) Arizona
  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida (APA accredited)
  • Masters of Clinical and Commucnity Psychology at Acadia University, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Bachelors (Honors) in Psychology at Acadia University, Nova Scotia, Canada
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE
  • Northcentral University – online; Adjunct; Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctorate Integrated Behavioral Health Psychology Courses
  • CalSouthern University – online; Adjunct; Masters and Doctorate Organizational and Integrative Behavioral Health Psychology courses
  • Columbia College – online; Adjunct; undergraduate level
  • Acadia University – online; Adjunct; undergraduate
  • Keiser College – Melbourne Campus, Florida; Adjunct; undergraduate level
  • Keiser College – Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida; Adjunct; undergraduate level
  • Florida Metropolitan University – Melbourne Campus; Adjunct; undergraduate level
  • Columbia College – Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; Adjunct; undergraduate level
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CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
  • Nickerson Institute of Integrative Health Training, Founder and Proprietor; Psychologist
  • American Pain Solutions, Scottsdale, Arizona; Psychologist Consultant
  • Colchester East Hants Health Authority, Adult Mental Health Outpatient Services, Truro, Nova Scotia – Psychologist/Program Development
  • Atlantic Counseling Associates, Merritt Island, Florida – Assistant Director/Psychologist
  • Wuesthoff Hospital Outpatient Behavioral Health Services – Manager
  • University of South Florida Counseling Center for Human Development – Doctoral Internship
  • Human Resource Healthcare Corporation Employee Assistance Program, Melbourne, Florida – Therapist
  • Community and Psychological Services – Florida Institute of Technology, Student Director/Therapist (Term Position)
  • Family Learning Program – Florida Institute of Technology – Clinical Therapist
  • Counseling and Psychological Services – Florida Institute of Technology – Clinical Therapist
  • Berwick Mental Health Center, Nova Scotia, Canada – Clinical Therapist (Practicum)
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ONLINE GRADUATE COURSES DEVELOPED (D) OR TAUGHT (T)
  • Applied Health Psychology Project (T)
  • Behavioral Health Medicine I: Mind – Body (D, T)
  • Behavioral Health Medicine II: Body – Mind (D, T)
  • Behavioral Nutrition (T)
  • Biopsychology of Sleep (T)
  • Cognition, Emotion and Motivation (T)
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine (T)
  • Conflict in the Workplace (T)
  • Consulting for Business, Education, & Mental Health (T)
  • Group Psychology (T)
  • Health Coaching (D, T)
  • Health Psychology (D, T)
  • History of Psychology (T)
  • Integrative Health Coach Training Program (D, T)
  • Interpersonal Neurobiology and Attachment (T)
  • Life Coaching (D, T)
  • Mental Health Care Administration (D, T)
  • Organizational Psychology (T)
  • Physiological Psychology (T)
  • Psychological Tests and Measurements (T)
  • Psychology of Chronic Illness (T)
  • Psychology of Pain Management (D, T)
  • Psychology of Trauma (T)
  • Psychoneuroimmunology (D, T)
  • Social Psychology (D, T)
  • Stress and Coping (T)
  • Stress and Related Disorders (T)

Workshop Topics

Dr. Nickerson's expansive education and experience in the field of healthcare has made her a passionate, dynamic presenter on topics related to physical, mental, social and emotional health. She has presented at events ranging from community workshops and corporate seminars to professional conferences.

Below is a sampling of the presentation topics relevant to personal and workplace development. These range from one hour to full day workshops and may be customized in length or topic to your specific needs.

Check Dr. Nickerson's availability  →

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BEYOND WELLNESS SERIES
  • Mind over Body: Your thoughts and emotions dictate the quality of your health
  • The Gift of Anxiety and Trauma
  • Treating Depression from a Soul Level Perspective
  • Getting Unstuck and Making Changes in Your Life
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WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE
  • Wellbeing in the Workplace: Staying emotionally balanced in a negative work environment
  • Against all Odds – Thriving at work
  • Soul in the Workplace: The power of living from your heart
  • Developing and Maintaining the Art of Inner Peace
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GENERAL WORKSHOPS
  • 7 Ways to Mend a Broken Heart
  • What if Everything Was Alright?
  • Your Family Legacy: The Buck Stops with You
  • Getting Unstuck and Making Changes in Your Life

Presented at workshops, conferences and summits

January 19, 2019 | Parkinson's Society of Southwest  Florida in Naples, Florida
The effect of mindfulness on chronic illness (with Internationally known Jimmy Choi, American Ninja Warrior with Parkinson's)
October 5, 2017 | Annual Energy Psychology Conference, Vancouver, Canada
Workshop: Assimilating e-motion in Integrative Health Coaching
May 2017 | Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida, Naples, FL
Seminar: The Power of Mindfulness
February 7, 2017 | Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida, Naples, FL
Seminar: 7 Ways to Mend a Broken Heart
March 17, 2014 | Carlsbad, CA
Webinar: Treating Depression From a Soul Level Perspective
February 13, 2014 | Carlsbad, CA
Webinar:  The Power of Living From Your Heart Space
January 9, 2014 | Carlsbad, CA
Webinar:  The Gift of Trauma, Anxiety, and PTSD-Changing the Paradigm
December 16, 2013 | Carlsbad, CA
Webinar:  An Inside Job - Using Your Mind to Treat Chronic Pain and Illness
December 2, 2013 | Carlsbad, CA
Webinar:  Rewiring Your Brain
July 3, 2013 | Shelburne Community Health Center, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada
Workshop:  How Your Thoughts and Emotions Affect Your Health
June 29, 2013 | Shelburne County Community Health in Barrington, Nova Scotia, Canada
Seminar:  Moving Forward - Getting Unstuck
June 29, 2013 | Shelburne Community Health Center, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada
Seminar:  Learning to Stay in Peace

Personal Story

Dr. Wendy Nickerson

Dr. Wendy Nickerson sitting on a beach


I have been a health coach for over 10 years and it has been an immensely fulfilling experience. As an experienced Clinical Psychologist, my approach to health coaching is slightly different from the norm. Being able to combine my experience as a psychologist and my own personal successes with health coaching allows me to offer a unique perspective to my clients. I believe the results of this have been powerful.

Let me back up a little bit. Twenty years ago, a bad car accident left me with trauma and several back injuries.  At the time, I was a single mother in graduate school and became overwhelmed with depression and anxiety. Two of the most mortal enemies of your Best Life.  After over a year of physical therapy, stretching, exercise, tens machines, and ice packs, I realized that until I gained control over my beliefs about condition, my expectations, and my anxiety that the pain was going to be the least of my worries.

It was during this phase of my life that I began to learn about the intimate connection between the mind and body. After learning techniques to calm my mind, I was able to alter my outlook very quickly and it became readily apparent to me that the stress in my mind was indisputably exacerbating the pain in my body.  Learning to create a calm and peaceful mind amidst stressful times was crucial to my healing and achieving the holistic wellness which I still strive for each day.

Years of teaching behavioral medicine and mind-body connections to graduate students, further solidified the importance of a positive mindset, not only with pain but for any type of illness.  I have combed through literally thousands of research studies and students’ papers on this topic. The research repeatedly shows that negativity of the mind depletes the immune system which breeds illness, in addition to creating tension and pain in the body.

So, back to question of what is integrative health coaching?  Most health coaching today, focuses on enhancing physical health. Exercising and eating a healthy diet.  This approach, although great, does not look at the whole picture. Our physical health is unequivocally linked to the quality of our mental and spiritual health.  The mind is the engine for the body. Therefore, being able to develop healthy thought patterns is crucial.  These new thought patterns and beliefs actually develop new neurological pathways in the brain.  This in turn affects the functioning of the neurological system, hormones, and neurotransmitters in the physical body.

Given that the mind is the driving force of our life, it is also important to have knowledge of the foods and nutritional substances that affect how our brain functions.  For example, many studies have shown that people that suffer with depression and anxiety have deficiencies in vitamin B-12, D3, and the Omegas.  Understanding this and making these nutritional changes is an important component of health coaching.

A positive mindset is crucial to wellness, however we are living in a world that thrives on negativity.  Teaching clients how to rise above this and live in higher levels of consciousness with positive thoughts and expectancies allows them to reach their optimal level of wellness.  For example, if someone is inundated with stressful and negative thoughts and belief systems, or is in a very stressful marriage or work environment, it is virtually impossible for them to heal from cancer.  I have yet to see a client that is depressed and anxious heal from chronic back pain.

Learning mindfulness-based stress management skills is essential in breaking the mind-body-spirit cycle of poor health.  Your natural state of being is to be in peace.  This is where the spiritual component of wellness fits in.  If we develop a connection with a higher power, we do not feel alone and isolated, but rather we realize that we are divinely supported.  This understanding and experience provides great comfort and peace.  We learn that all really does unfold perfectly, that bruises really are blessings in disguise, and that staying in the present moment allows happiness in the now.

In summary, health coaching, or as more are beginning to refer to it as integrative coaching (IHC), is a process that facilitates healthy, sustainable thought and behavioral patterns that lead to healthy outcomes and optimal functioning of the human mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to solidify healthy habits by putting theory into action. Health coaching draws on the principles of positive psychology, synergy, energetic support, and the practices of motivational interviewing, goal setting, and mindfulness to assist you in becoming all that you were meant to be.