Madeline Nichols

clinical intern

Madeline (she/her) is an intern and student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she is working toward her Master of Social Work. She is passionate about creating a therapeutic space where clients can show up as their whole selves and be met with curiosity and compassion.

Madeline is especially interested in working with queer adults navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, identity exploration, grief, and shame. Her therapeutic approach is person-centered and relational, with an emphasis on the mind-body connection. She believes that clients are the experts in their own lives and that therapy can help them recognize and build upon the strengths, insights, and resources they already hold.

Madeline also recognizes that mental health does not exist in a vacuum. Socioeconomic factors, discrimination, minority stress, family systems, and larger cultural and societal structures all influence how we understand ourselves and move through the world. With this in mind, Madeline approaches therapy collaboratively and transparently, with an appreciation for the many parts of a person’s identity and the environments they move through. She is committed to creating a space that is affirming of clients’ identities and lived experiences, particularly for BIPOC, queer, and neurodivergent individuals who have historically experienced harm or exclusion within mental health spaces.

Madeline is particularly passionate about the connection between the mind and body. She helps clients slow down, tune in, and become curious about what their bodies may be communicating. She believes that the body can offer valuable insight into our emotions and experiences and can be an important resource in the healing process.

Her work is also informed by Buddhist philosophy, particularly mindfulness, impermanence, and acceptance. She believes that cultivating awareness of the present moment can help us become more attuned to our thoughts, emotions, and bodies without feeling the need to immediately change or fix them. Through this lens, therapy can become a space to develop a more flexible and compassionate relationship with ourselves and with the experiences we move through.

Madeline also believes that therapy does not always have to feel heavy or serious. When appropriate, she welcomes humor and believes laughter can be a powerful tool for connection and healing.

Outside of the therapy room, Madeline loves watching horror movies and bad reality TV, going to drag shows, and spending time with her dachshund, Bean.

Madeline can be reached at madeline@headhearttherapy.com