Nicole Story EDS, MED, LMFT, LMHC, QS-FL ,NCC
Psychotherapist, Clinical Director
Nicole Story received her Masters and Specialists (Psy.D/Doctor of Psychology equivalent) degrees with high honors from the University of Florida, Gainesville and is a Florida licensed Psychotherapist and Qualified Clinical Supervisor through the State of Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance.
As a Florida licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and also a Florida licensed Mental Health Counselor, she is trained in both intrapsychic and inter-relational approaches to therapy. In addition to a Bachelor's degree, her LMHC and LMFT licenses required 7 years of additional post graduate education, practicum, internship, research, clinical practice and training in child therapy, developmental psychology, psychopathology, testing, assessment and treatment modalities across the lifespan.
She also trained in the theories and concepts of cultural and individual diversity and in their application to the practice of professional psychology at Rollins College, Winter Park; completed a minor in German and studied Spanish, French, Cultural Psychology and Family Therapy before her graduate studies in psychotherapy at UF.
This vast training provides insights during evaluations and treatment, with attention to environment, society, family dynamics, language and culture in addition to the diagnosis of mental health/psychiatric symptoms.
Experience
With twenty years of experience in psychotherapy and clinical administration, in the private and non-profit sectors, her experience includes Hope Haven's Children's Clinic and Family Center, Miller & Quinones Pediatric Psychiatry and the Child Guidance Center.
Nicole also served as Clinical Director of a local adolescent residential substance abuse and dual diagnosis treatment facility, where she oversaw all functions of a 30 bed adolescent residential unit and 14 bed detox/stabilization unit; provided clinical supervision to the treatment team and directed daily case consultations; provided evaluation, assessment, crisis intervention and treatment to the most severe dually diagnosed clients and abuse victims; trained staff in clinical issues, assessment, evaluation and treatment modalities; and managed staff of more than 50 employees and budget of over $500,000.
She also trained as part of The National Institute of Drug Abuse, Clinical Trial Network, providing Brief Strategic Family Therapy to Hispanic adolescents/families, and was certified in research practice methods at the University of Miami, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
A Florida Department of Health MFT and MHC Qualified Supervisor, she has served for many years as a clinical and licensing supervisor for the therapeutic staff at the Youth Crisis Center, Daniel Kids and Camelot Community Care, supervising therapists working with children, infants and adolescents of severe abuse, trauma/neglect.
A resident of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, she has served on the board of the Beaches Resource Center Oversight Committee and as the President of the Foundation (United Way, Full Service Schools) and served hundreds of beaches community and military families. She also served as PTSA President of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and PTSA President of Fletcher Middle School.
Board Member of Guardian ad Litem, 8th Judicial Circuit, serving our most vulnerable children.
Nicole has been qualified as an expert witness in Federal courts, middle district of Florida, Immigration Court in Orlando, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia.
Teaching and Public Speaking
Nicole Story taught as an Adjunct Professor at Santa Fe College, Gainesville, Florida.
She also lectures at local continuing education workshops for professional associations including the Northeast Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (also served as President); and at universities, including Florida State University (FSU) School of Social Work/Graduate School, at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL.
She has been interviewed by the several state/local TV and print news reporters on numerous clinical topics and published in print and online articles, books and publications.
As the Clinical Director at Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments and as the previous Clinical Director and Program Administrator of Gateway Community Services TPC Adolescent Residential, Detox and Outpatient programs, she has been training and educating Masters/Doctoral level interns for over 15 years.
Beach Office
Clinical Mission
I strive to provide my clients and interns a better clinical experience. I care about and respect my patients and am committed to enhancing their quality of life by providing a highly individualized, humanistic approach to assessment, treatment and supervision.
As a forensic examiner, I administer forensic mental health evaluations, in civil and criminal cases and have testified in State and Federal Courts in Duval, Alachua and Clay counties and at Orlando Immigration Court, Miami Immigration Court and Atlanta Immigration Court.
I have been a clinical member of the American Board of Forensic Counselors - ACFEI, registered in the Counseling Division, and the Psychology Division. Married to a litigation attorney, I also regularly provides assistance with trial consultation and am an in-house psycho-emotional damages consultant at Story Griffin, Attorneys at Law. I am also an affiliate member of the Jacksonville Beaches Bar Association, Expert Witness - Psychological.
A leader in my profession, I served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association For Marriage and Family Therapy - FAMFT (the state division of AAMFT), as the Ethics Committee Chair. I also served as the President of the Northeast Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy - NEFAMFT (the Northeast Florida Chapter of AAMFT), and served on the executive board for 7 years.
I am Administrator for the FB Northeast Florida Mental Health Therapists Group (850+ members) and the Kids Therapist Network (250+ members).
Originally from Ireland/UK and a dual citizen I enjoy working with domestic and international populations of all ages.
As seen in:
Clinical Supervision/Therapist Training
Nicole Story, Ed.S, M.Ed, LMFT, LMHC, NCC, QS-FL, President of Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments, has been providing therapy and clinical supervision for over 20 years.
"Originally from Ireland/UK, I offer a humanistic, non-judgmental and supportive approach to therapy and clinical supervision with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and cultures.
I was the Clinical Director at a 30 bed residential adolescent dual diagnosis treatment facility, 15 bed detox and 5 outpatient adolescent mental health and school-based programs, where I supervised masters and doctoral level interns and highly skilled clinicians. During this experience, I viewed clinical supervision, a cornerstone of supervised learning, professionalism, and development, as a sadly neglected aspect of clinical training.
After I left that directorship role, I began focusing more intensely on clinical supervision. As my background was with a highly diverse clinical population, in child, adolescent and family therapy as well as clinical settings, I adapted a meta-theoretical competency-based model of supervision and contracted with numerous non-profit agencies to provide "in-house" and private practice supervision to dozens of registered interns in Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling.
My experiences as an adjunct professor at Santa Fe College, and in the Multicultural & Diversity Affairs and Couple & Family Clinic at the University of Florida (one way mirror and ear piece post-masters supervision teams) strongly influenced my views on the importance of taking a direct approach to competency-based education and training with an experiential approach to integrating academic learning into clinical competencies."
As a qualified clinical supervisor with the Florida Department of Health, Division of Quality Medical Assurance, she provides/has provided supervision to individuals with non-profit and federal agencies including:
Gateway Community Services (served as in-house Clinical Director of TPC Adolescent Residential, Detox and Adolescent Outpatient and School Based Programs supervising a staff of 50 employees);
The Youth Crisis Center (shelter, residential and outpatient MFT & MHC interns);
Camelot Community Care (Justice Diversion Program for several MFTs serving teens in-home);
Family Foundations (school-based MFT & MHC interns);
Daniel Kids (DCF involved and Infant Mental Health MFT & MHC interns);
River Region (inpatient adolescents - MFT & MHC interns);
Breakthroughs( substance abuse MFT & MHC interns);
The United States Navy/Naval Hospital Jacksonville (MFT interns);
Beaches Resource Center (served in house and on the board);
Department Of Veterans Affairs (MFT interns);
The Department of Juvenile Justice;
And numerous private psychotherapy practices (MFT & MHC interns working with children, adults, families and couples).
"Clinical supervision and training therapists is a passion of mine!"
As a qualified clinical supervisor with the Department of Health, Division of Quality Medical Assurance, I have provided supervision to individuals with local, non-profit and federal agencies including those listed above.
I have also lectured at local continuing education workshops & at universities, including FSU School of Social Work/Graduate School, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL and served as an Adjunct Professor, at Santa Fe College, Gainesville, FL.
I offer ongoing clinical supervision to licensed psychotherapists, clinical supervisors and administrators in numerous non-profit agencies, the V.A., Naval Hospital Jax and private practices, in person and via Telehealth platforms.
Uniquely qualified and experienced in assessment and treatment of infant/children through adult lifespans and cultural competency, I enjoy sharing this knowledge with therapist in training.
In fact, some of my highly trained interns are accepting new patients for teletherapy throughout the state of Florida (at a lower cash rate)!
Professional Associations & Leadership Roles
American Board of Forensic Counselors - Counseling and Psychology Divisions
APA Clinical Member
Clinical Director & Program Administrator of Adolescent Residential, Detox & Outpatient Programs - Gateway Community Services, TPC
Florida Association for Marriage & Family Therapy - Board Member, Ethics Chair
Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance - Licensed Psychotherapist
Guardian ad Litem Foundation, Board of Directors, 4th Judicial Circuit.
Humana Military and Tricare Provider for Behavioral Healthcare
Jacksonville Beaches Bar Association - Affiliate Member, Medical/Psychological Expert Services
Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association - Strategic Partner Member
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Florida Department of Health
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Florida Department of Health
National Board of Clinical Counselors - NCC, Board Certified Counselor
N.E. Florida Assoc. Marriage Family Therapy - President Emeritus, President, & President-Elect
Qualified Clinical Supervisor for MFT and MHC Masters/Doctoral Interns, Florida Department of Health
*"According to the U.S. Department of Education's International Affairs Office's, "Structure of the U.S. Education System: Intermediate Graduate Qualifications, (Feb 2008), the Ed.S., as a degree, is equivalent to the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D./D.Psy.)."
Testimonials
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"Awesome!"
Marilyn Henry, Co-Worker at Full Service Schools
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"The Best!
Nicole has been practicing therapy, training therapists, supervising programs and volunteering in her profession for 20 years. She has testified in Family Law, Criminal Law, Federal Criminal Law and Immigration Federal cases and provides psycho-emotional damages consultation to our law firm."
Story Griffin Consumer Justice Law Firm
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"I've known Dr. Story now for many years and she is the most wonderful and caring therapist. She helped us with our daughter's mental illness issues and I have referred quite a few people to this practice and they equally have been very happy with the level of service and care they receive. You can tell they are in this line of work for the right reasons and really want to help their patients."
Jacqueline Soleil
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"Nicole Story has over 20 years of experience. Serving as a Clinical Director in various settings - adolescent residential dual diagnosis facility, detox, school based and out patient programs."
Rachel Weinstein, LMHC
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"A wonderful practice, and LGBTQ+ friendly!
I would highly recommend!"
Christina Ramey
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"My attorney referred me and told me that Nicole Story is the best! Thank you so much for all of your help to our family. Your evaluation and report were pivotal in our case and we were granted the cancellation of removal and can continue to live our lives in this country, our home. God bless you."
Client (name is confidential)
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"Nicole Story, Psychotherapist has been providing psychotherapy to children, families and adults via veterans affairs, the military, school-based, non-profit agencies and private sectors for over 20 years. She also trains and supervises mental health counseling interns, served as the Clinical Director at a residential in-patient facility, lectures, speaks, writes and has taught as an instructor at Florida State College, SFCC. She provides forensic psychosocial evaluations and has served as an expert witness in Federal/Immigration court for 20 years. She also serves in house at our law firm as a psycho-emotional damages consultant. She is the Clinical Director at Oceanside Family Therapy & Assessments." - Story Griffin, Consumer Justice Law Firm.
Max Story, Esq. - Story Griffin, Consumer Justice Law Firm