Meet out therapists

 Dana Nicholson, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in individual, couples and family therapy, and maintains Inspire Psychological Services, LLC in Murrysville, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Nicholson graduated with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University in Orange County, California. She works with a broad spectrum of clients. Among her areas of expertise are the treatment of anxiety and depression, attachment and relationship issues, trauma and grief, life transitions, loss of loved one to suicide, bereavement, addictions and stress and health issues.

Dr. Nicholson is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. Her therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

As a Christian, Dr. Nicholson can incorporate your spiritual and religious beliefs as you see fit.

Professional Activities and Memberships

Member of the APA (American Psychological Association), PPA (Pennsylvania Psychological Association) and AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors)

Accepted Insurance:
Highmark, UPMC, United Behavioral Health and Aetna

 Thanks for taking a look at my profile! I hope what you find here will be helpful and maybe even spark your interest to learn more about therapy at Inspire. I'm a licensed mental health counselor and I've been thoroughly enjoying practicing therapy for over 19 years. I began my post graduate experience with a community mental health agency in Allegheny County as a crisis clinician on a mental health crisis hotline and part of mobile crisis teams. After that, I served as a school based therapist at several Pittsburgh public schools and worked with kids in kindergarten through high school. At the same time, I also worked with adults struggling with depression, anxiety, homelessness, suicidality, and more.

I was privileged to join the team at Inspire in September of 2011. I enjoy working with individuals, couples, and families of all ages and backgrounds. My special interests include using a child centered approach to play therapy, understanding play as a child's language and toys as their words. Play therapy has been shown to be effective in helping children work through behavioral difficulties, such as oppositional defiant disorder, and also lots of other stuff that's harder for children to express verbally, like depression, anxiety, and anger. I'm excited about the potential in reaching children through play therapy and would enjoy talking about it with you, if that's what interests you.

I also enjoy working with adolescents through a cognitive behavioral approach to help with depression, anxiety, suicidality, and even life transitions, such as parents' divorce or preparing for high school or college. Adolescence is a formative and often intimidating stage of life for both teens and parents and I've used therapy to help in very meaningful ways. Basically, my approach to therapy with teens is to identify specific thoughts and behaviors and explore what those mean for how a person understands the world and his or her own self. I'd also enjoy the opportunity to describe in more detail how therapy for teens can be helpful, if that's what you're here for.

I very much enjoy working with adults on an individual basis or as a couple. I've worked with people struggling with relationship and marriage difficulties as well as mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, anger, addiction, and obsessive behaviors. My approach to working with adults is person centered as well as cognitive behavioral, and as with children and teens, I enjoy meeting a person just as he or she is and exploring with hope where we can go from here.

Therapy looks different for different people and is never exactly the same for everyone. For me, therapy is a way of being and not just a collection of techniques. But if you take away all the technical terms and theories, therapy essentially comes down to words. I believe that words can have great power if used well. Words can help us organize our thoughts, take ownership of behaviors, name emotions, and express all kinds of ideas. Good therapy helps a person find the right words to do these things. For children, the right "words" may be toys and play. But however words are expressed, the power in therapy can be seen as talk moves into action, which gives words meaning. So, therapy done right helps develop new perspectives, finds answers for difficult questions, and most importantly, can inspire hope. It is my hope that this very brief introduction has been helpful and, if the time is right, has inspired you to explore therapy with IPS.

Accepted Insurance:
Highmark, UPMC, Cigna and Aetna 

Anxiety, depression, trauma, interpersonal struggles, and life transitions are just some of the issues we face daily that can hold us back from reaching our goals and our true selves. Children, teens, and young adults are exposed early on to enormous amounts of pressure like bullying, mood and behavior changes, and self esteem concerns. I am passionate about helping children, adolescents, and adults jump off the merry-go-round they're trapped on and create new, positive, and healthy ways to cope with life's unpredictable twists and turns or even feeling stuck in the same old. Allow me to understand you and ensure you have a voice.

I challenge my clients to think about things in a new perspective and open their mind to what matters most. By abandoning old maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors, we can then work together to plant seeds for growth. I utilize an interrogative model tailored specially to you to address, understand, and promote healing for the mind, body, and spirit.

My intention is to walk along side of you throughout this journey and never make you feel alone. I will listen to you, validate you, and believe in you and your unique life experiences while being in a safe and comfortable environment. I pride myself on being empathic, understanding, and open. No question should go unanswered. No one should feel lost.

Kourtney Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Wartburg College, as well as a Masters in Direct Practice Social Work, with a Mental Health Certificate, from the University of Pittsburgh. While obtaining her MSW at Pitt, she also served as a fellow in the Coalition for Opioid Addiction Leadership (COAL). Kourtney is also a proud Army Veteran, and served 2 combat tours in Iraq, in 2004-2005 and 2009-2010.

  “My journey to becoming a therapist was born of my own struggles with childhood trauma, addiction, ADHD, PTSD, and other mental health concerns. Through going to therapy myself, I learned that we are all truly capable of healing from the hurts and sorrow of our past. With help, I learned to put down these burdens and live free of them, and suffer no longer . Today, I am honored to assist our clients on their journey to healing and peace. Regardless of what has happened to you, you are able to overcome and live a happy, joyous, and free life, I know it is possible! Please reach out today and schedule a session, with either myself or one of my colleagues here at Inspire, your healing can start today!  

 Vaughn Sadekni is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in working with adolescents and young adults with issues related to self-identity, peer interactions, familial conflict, and self-harming. Vaughn also has extensive experience working with adults struggling with life transitions, substance abuse, trauma, anxiety, and depression.  Vaughn takes an integrative approach to therapy, with an emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Systems Theory.

I strive to create a safe space where people can work on building upon identified strengths, challenge personal negative assumptions or beliefs, and develop a new mindset to confront daily life obstacles. It is my belief that there is not one universal treatment modality and that every individual be offered a personal plan tailored to address their unique needs.

Vaughn graduated from St. Vincent College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and minor in Theology. He completed his Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy at Seton Hill University. Vaughn is certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 

Areas of Professional Interest:  Anxiety, Depression, Peer Relationships, Relationship Issues, Loss and Grief, Addiction, Life Transitions

 I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who earned both a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh.  I have a strong background working with kids as a family based therapist in both schools and outpatient settings in community mental health and private practice.  In my 25 years of therapy experience I have worked with clients from 5 to 72 years of age.

My areas of special interest include ADHD, depression, anxiety, working with autism spectrum disorders, school related issues, parenting skills, self-esteem issues, trauma informed care and grief related issues.

I am a strong advocate of my clients taking an active role in the therapeutic process.  Therapy is not something you buy off the shelf.  I will work with each client to tailor and individualize the process to meet their needs and goals.  I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness skills, dialectal behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, family therapy and teach anxiety management skills.

Appointments are available.

 Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Slippery Rock University, as well as a Master of Arts in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh where she focused on Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups. She also obtained a certificate in Mental Health from the University of Pittsburgh. 

She operates with a strengths-based, person-centered approach through modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, focusing in various areas of mental health, such as: anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, grief and loss, etc.  Her goal is to provide a safe and comfortable environment in which you can explore and process your feelings, as well as past and present situations, in a manner that will lead to positive growth and change.  

  Joyce Kuczma is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), who received her Master's Degree, in the same field as licensure, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg , Pennsylvania , in 2010. She also graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Christian Theology/Religious Studies, in 2008. Additionally, Joyce has worked with children/youth and families, in a variety of professional settings for over 20 years.

This therapist has a heart and passion for marriage and family unity-- which of course, involves the necessary health and well-being of individuals. Therefore, Joyce commits herself to the care of any individual seeking her services, as well as, nurtures the relationships that those individuals consider most valuable and in need of support along the journey toward healing and thriving!

Joyce's primary approach to treating couples, families, and individuals is a combination of Solution-Focused and Experiential treatment-- highlighting existing strengths, and uncovering new ones, of all participants-- to encourage, guide, and empower individual healing and growth, as well as, celebrate newly-evolving relational dynamics within which to flourish---- all while incorporating respectful humor and occasional activities to make the experience of therapy fun and interesting-- for ALL AGES -- hopefully!!! (Integration of Christian principles and practices, upon request).

Change is often difficult; and requires a level of hope and confidence that can endure through life and relational challenges. Therefore, Joyce offers an atmosphere in which the therapeutic relationship fosters mutual respect, collaboration, and trust, in order to develop an assurance that HOPE is ALWAYS possible -- and that change and/or challenges can truly become just another part of everyday life!

Accepted Insurance:
UPMC, Highmark, United

 Lori invites you to explore your full potential whether it be for growth, problem-solving, or healing. Lori holds an MSW in clinical therapy. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in psychology, from the University of Pittsburgh. She also acquired a Master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Social Work.

Lori has worked with children, adolescents, families and the elderly in both educational and therapeutic settings over the past 28 years. She operates from a strength-based perspective that recognizes and seeks to ignite the inner strength each individual possesses. Lori utilizes strength-based practices to facilitate an increase in functioning and well-being for both individuals or families. Treatment modalities include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Therapy, Life Coaching, Solution-Focused, and Faith-based counseling (as desired). Areas of focus include but are not limited to, Marriage & Family, Life Stressors, Personality Disorders, Life-stage Development, Death & Dying (End of Life/Planning/Grief Support), Special Needs Supports/Autism/Resource Coordination, and Spiritual Growth. She is a strong proponent of Brain Health and believes in personalizing and customizing services to the specific needs of each individual or family.

Lori is a standing member of the Pennsylvania National Association of Social Workers, NASW, and a Presidential Member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, AACC.