Hello, thank you for visiting my portfolio and taking the time to learn about the work I engage in as an educator, supervisor, and counselor. I am a full member of the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), the Texas Counseling Association, Chi Sigma Iota, the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors (ACES).

My heart has always led me to a role of service and helping which is evidenced by my commitment to the South Texas community for over eleven years in a variety of capacities with child welfare agencies and mental health community centers. I have experience working with trauma survivors, children and adolescents, and adult perpetrators of domestic violence. I am an EMDR* Trainer, EMDR Consultant, and EMDR Certified Therapist (*Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). My favorite experiences have occurred in Counselor Education and Supervision where I have had the opportunity to facilitate the journey of future professional counselors. I have supervised associate-level counselors and student counselors both as a clinical supervisor and faculty supervisor. I have taught in online and in-person classroom settings. My teaching experience includes working as an Adjunct Faculty at Delta State University and St. Edward's University and as a Teaching Assistant at Walden University and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

My leadership skills extend beyond the classroom and into the professional field of mental health. I am the owner/founder of Distinctive Counseling and Consulting, PLLC where I oversee a dynamic team of fully licensed counselors, provisionally licensed counselors, and student counselors in training. At Distinctive, I founded the Nikki Claudette EMDR Scholarship Fund which awards associate level counselors the opportunity to become EMDR Trained and Certified through Distinctive Counseling and Consulting, PLLC. I have experience volunteering with the American Red Cross as a Disaster Mental Health Responder on the Disaster Response Team. I served as the 2021-2022 Book Club Committee Chair, the 2022-2023 Co-President, the 2023-2024 Past-President and Newsletter Editor for Chi Sigma Iota Omega Zeta Chapter at Walden University. When I am not working to help those in need, I spend my time raising my four children and dog, Joan.