Areas of Expertise

Individual Therapy

I work with individuals who bring several concerns to therapy, including depression, anxiety, and problems in families and intimate relationships. My approach is to listen and explore with great compassion to the problematic emotions, thoughts, and experiences that interfere with living an authentic and joyful life. My goal is to help each person to identify potential blind spots that may prevent healing of past hurts as I support you towards the life you desire.

Couples Therapy

My principle approach is Emotionally Focused Therapy, which helps partners to explore their relational difficulties by understanding the emotional landscape that drives relational behaviors. Often, these behaviors fuel a dysfunctional cycle locking partners into destructive communication patterns and mutually hurtful behavior. Without taking sides, I help couples to explore the underlying emotions and work towards understanding how to break the cycle and work towards their longed for connection.

Sex Therapy

I use an integrated approach to sex therapy with individuals and couples. Together we explore difficulties in sexual desire, functioning in addition to other sexual concerns, particularly as they interfere with developing or maintaining healthy relationships.

Research & Publications

Click on the below links to read my recent research articles.

Nightingale, M,, Jones, S.C.T. & Smith, S. D. (2019). Race and racial conversations in therapy: A qualitative study. Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships, 6(2): 37-57. doi:10.1353/bsr.2019.0020.

Nightingale, M., Awosan & Stavrianopoulos, K. (2019). Emotionally focused therapy: A culturally sensitive approach for African American heterosexual couples, Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 30:3, 221-244, doi:10.1080/08975353.2019.1666497

**2020 recipient of the AAMFT Foundation Outstanding Research Publication Award**

Curriculum Vitae

Click below for an updated copy of my CV.

Research & Publications