Meet Dr. Nickoloff

Born and raised in Metro Detroit, I graduated from the University of Michigan for both Undergraduate and Medical School.  My Medical Internship was at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, followed by Psychiatry Residency at the University of Washington, Seattle.  I returned to Michigan in 1990 and have been in full time private practice since.  I completed specialty Psychoanalytic training at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute in 1998, and am fully Board Certified in Psychiatry (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) and Psychoanalysis (American Psychoanalytic Association).

I have been active in Psychiatric and Psychoanalytic organizations throughout my career.  I have taught and supervised Psychiatric Residents at many local medical centers and universities, and have given lectures and taught courses on a wide variety of topics to both mental health professionals and the community at large.  I have served as the President of the Michigan Psychoanalytic Society, and have been that organization’s voting representative to the American Psychoanalytic Association.

I have always worked with patients with a wide variety of presenting problems, though I would say that most have come to me because of some combination of depression, anxiety, difficulty in relationships, or work/professional difficulties.  Often they will have had prior treatment experiences with shorter-term or symptom-focused therapies, and may have tried medications as well, but realize they need a deeper, more meaningful approach.  Commonly people will enter treatment in the midst of some crisis, but as the immediate situation is resolved we often find that there are longstanding, underlying issues and we move into a more intensive, insight-oriented therapy.  For most people in emotional pain, I have found long-term psychotherapy provides the most satisfactory, lasting and comprehensive results.

While individual psychotherapy is the largest portion of my practice, I also work in related areas where this type of fuller understanding of people and relationships is helpful.  This includes therapy with couples, executive coaching, and consultation to business/organizations.