Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in Southbury, CT

I’m a psychotherapist and coach with nearly two decades of experience working with teens, young adults, and families. Much of my work focuses on strengthening communication, rebuilding trust, and helping people navigate major life transitions, including adolescence, college, relationships, and career development.

Over the past several years, I’ve focused deeply on generational, religious, and family dynamics—especially the ways past experiences shape how we relate to ourselves and to the people closest to us. My goal is simple: to help people like each other as much as they love each other.

My approach is practical, direct, and collaborative. I integrate evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems, while also helping clients develop clear communication skills, emotional awareness, and confidence in who they are and how they want to live.

Clients who work with me can expect thoughtful conversations, honest feedback, and a focus on meaningful growth—not just symptom relief.

I believe that meaningful therapy begins with feeling safe, heard, and supported. My goal is to create a compassionate, non-judgmental space where individuals and families can explore challenges, build on their strengths, and move toward positive change.

I hold both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work and have over five years of experience working directly with children and families. My professional background includes supporting children and caregivers through emotional, behavioral, and relational concerns, while collaborating with families to strengthen communication, coping skills, and overall well-being.

In addition to my work with children and families, I also have several years of experience supporting older adults, including assisting individuals and families with long-term care planning. This work has given me a deep appreciation for the emotional, practical, and relational challenges that can arise during later life transitions, caregiving roles, and decision-making processes.

I am passionate about supporting clients across the lifespan and helping individuals and families navigate change with greater clarity, resilience, and connection.

I strive to make the therapeutic experience a safe and supportive space in which creativity and collaboration can unfold for enlightening and lasting developments. I have expertise working with children, adolescents and young adults facing challenges associated with unique life transitions, and specific concerns including anxiety, ASD, ADHD, emotion regulation, identity exploration, and social skills. My clinical experience encompasses a variety of settings from community mental health centers to academic settings, and with clients expressing various facets of diversity. I am currently licensed in the state of Connecticut.

Hi, I’m Nikki — owner of Dragonfly Haven Wellness LCSW PLLC. I’m looking forward to starting our work together.

I’m a licensed clinical social worker with a Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University, earned in 2003. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of supporting children, teens, adults, and families through life’s challenges in both outpatient and school-based mental health settings.

I believe therapy works best when you feel safe, supported, and genuinely understood. My approach is warm and collaborative, while also helping to point out connections to support your growth. I draw from a blend of psychodynamic therapy, relational approaches, CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, and Encompass co-occurring treatment to help clients build insight, strengthen coping skills, and create meaningful change.

I’ve recently completed a certified integrative mental health provider course and somatic technique training to focus more on body-based approaches alongside traditional talk therapy to support healing as a whole-person process.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, stress, relationship challenges, life transitions, or simply feeling stuck, you don’t have to do it alone. My goal is to create a space where you feel comfortable showing up exactly as you are and knowing that I am here to work alongside you as you move towards change.

Twenty-five years in this field — across inpatient units, outpatient programs, and private practice — means I've sat with people in virtually every kind of difficulty. That depth of experience shapes how I show up: grounded, unhurried, and genuinely confident that change is possible, even when it doesn't feel that way yet.

I work with adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, ADD/ADHD, stress, and major life transitions. I bring both clinical rigor and real human warmth to the work — because neither alone is enough.

I trained at Hunter College School of Social Work and have built my practice around one belief: that insight without practical tools doesn't get people very far, and tools without insight don't stick. We'll work on both.

As a social worker, I endeavor to make a strong bond with you and explore your strengths. I will hold a space for you to experience feelings that you may have been putting off or avoiding confronting. I have a calming demeanor and welcoming personality that will put you at ease. Together we can evaluate & explore any issues that may be troubling you.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with a passion for integrative, whole-person care. By blending the principles of integrative psychiatry with a deep understanding of adult medicine, I am committed to treating the mind and body as a unified system. I believe that true wellness requires dedicated attention to both.

As a clinician, I enjoy working with everyone in all phases of life helping in building self-esteem, managing addiction, trauma, self-discovery, medication management, anger management, re-establishing one's dreams/purpose, building/strengthening relationships one has with self, partners or family systems.

I have worked with foster children, young adults, primary care staff and patients, those who struggled with substance abuse in a methadone clinic, provided supervision to non-licensed social workers in the hospital.

I welcome the opportunity to meet with you for a consultation to see if working together would be a great match like a grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwich.

Best of luck on your journey to health and wellness.