Welcome

Welcome

Hi, my name is Nicole!

I wanted to take a moment and introduce myself, the voice behind the Restorative Counseling Blog. Hi! My name is Nicole and I am the director of the Restorative Counseling Center in Hudsonville, Michigan. A question I get a lot, is why, with so many private group practices to work for, would you go out on your own and open your own private practice? It’s a great question actually. As I neared the end of graduate school, I knew I needed to take the advice I was giving so many of my clients…make important decisions in your life based on your core values. There is a lot of work that goes into this process, but in the end, I knew my core values were my faith, my role as a wife and mother, personal growth, empowering women and leadership. As I looked at the options before me, after much prayer, I knew the best choice aligning with those values was to open my own private practice where I could do the work God was calling me to do.

My background, previous to pursuing counseling, is actually in teaching, business and marketing. God has crazy plans, and it’s so fun to see how He has weaved each one of my experiences into preparing me for the path that is now before me as a counselor. Teaching allowed for me to be in a leadership position and truly tailor content to the individuals in my classroom. It also taught me planning and patience. Owning a previous business with my husband, of course taught me all of the logistics of running a business, but it also helped me to understand the position of many other women like me (even those that are not business owners) and how to find balance amongst all the roles we play in life. Working in marketing taught me about branding. Who am I and what do I want others to perceive about me and my brand? The answer is ME. I am who God created me to be, special and unique, and instead of trying to be someone I am not, I want my true, authentic self to shine through in all I do in my business and my life. I love walking alongside other women as they go through self-discovery and learning, exploring who God created them to be.

As an introvert, doing this blog will challenge me out of my comfort zone. I want this to be a place where I can truly share my heart and knowledge in hopes that it will help others. On the other hand, it can be exposing at times and leave me vulnerable, which is scary. At the same time, I want to model for readers and for my clients, the power of vulnerability and sharing our story, and the healing that comes in that space. I look forward to connecting with you all through this blog!

I would love to virtually meet you. Leave a comment telling me your name and how you found this blog.

Click here  to learn more about my approach to counseling.