- Stress and anxiety
- Career direction
- Life purpose
About Shariffa
Shariffa 'Nicole' Vaughn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with five years of professional experience. She practices in Connecticut and focuses on stress, anxiety, motivation, self-esteem, confidence, career concerns, and coping with life changes.
Nicole works with adults who feel stuck after a job change, a breakup, health shifts, or other life transitions. She helps people clarify what matters now and build small, practical steps forward. Conversations are direct and focused on what a person wants to change next.
Her approach treats clients as the experts on their own story. Nicole looks for existing strengths to use when people face worry, panic, shame, or isolation. She supports people who want help with body image, control issues, forgiveness, guilt, self-love, and finding a sense of life purpose.
Sessions emphasize realistic goals and clear next steps. Nicole often helps clients break large problems into manageable actions and practice those changes between meetings. She also addresses panic attacks and techniques to reduce immediate anxiety when it arises.
People who choose her work with someone who values practical progress over quick fixes. She guides discussions on career direction and motivation without promising outcomes. Beginning therapy is described as a courageous step, and Nicole aims to help clients explore what matters and plan achievable moves forward.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions
Evidence-based therapeutic techniques focus on specific skills and strategies that reduce anxiety and improve coping. For example, brief skills training teaches practical tools for managing panic attacks and immediate anxious reactions. These techniques show people how to use breathing, grounding, and short behavioral steps to reduce distress in the moment.Another common strand is goal-focused problem solving. This approach helps people identify one or two reachable goals, map the steps needed, and try those actions between sessions. It is useful for career shifts, motivation problems, and recovery from life changes where you want concrete progress rather than abstract insight.
Finding the right mix of techniques is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose approaches that match goals, current needs, and preferences. That means adjusting strategies over time rather than sticking to a single method from the start.
Confirm the specific session options before booking, as current formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time so appointments are more practical. These practical benefits help people keep momentum while working toward clearer next steps.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
Virginia, Connecticut
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career difficulties, and coping with life changes. Additional focus areas include body image, guilt and shame, isolation, and life purpose.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style treats the client as the expert on their story and focuses on practical, concrete steps. Sessions aim to identify strengths and break problems into manageable actions.
What experience does she bring?
She has five years of professional clinical experience working with adults on motivation, confidence, and anxiety-related concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and practices in Connecticut.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the United States work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.