Nicole Pulido

Nicole Pulido holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. Nicole is deeply passionate about working with families and couples to strengthen their bonds, foster understanding, and create unity. She believes in empowering individuals, couples, and families to heal, grow, and thrive by tapping into their inner strengths. Grounded in the belief that lasting change begins from within, she aims to help individuals cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and emotional clarity.

Nicole brings a strong background in supporting children and families through her work as a Registered Behavior Technician, where she implemented skill-building and behavior reduction strategies for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and collaborated with families to promote growth and connection. In addition, Nicole has supported individuals in moments of crisis as a trained counselor at the Alachua County Crisis Center, where she managed calls ranging from emotional distress to suicide risk, helping callers feel heard, safe, and connected to resources.

Through compassionate, evidence-based therapy, Nicole strives to create a safe, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space where clients can explore challenges, reconnect with themselves and each other, and reclaim a sense of purpose and peace.

What Is A Master’s Level Graduate Student Intern?

Generally speaking, our interns are students at the Master’s level who are earning hours towards their desired graduate degree. They have completed most of all their required coursework or “book knowledge” and they are in the final stages of completing their degree. They are required to obtain 700 practice hours prior to being awarded their graduate degree. They are not employees of the practice; however, they work with us as affiliates. Family Therapy Group of Weston enters into a contract with NSU and offers them a clinical site to gain experience while also offering clinical supervision at no cost to the student or the university. In exchange, Family Therapy Group of Weston is able to set a lower rate for those counseling sessions, which benefits the public and also helps cover the overhead costs of having them on site and providing them with regular, scheduled clinical supervision as well as after hours or emergency supervision.

To be an intern with Family Therapy Group of Weston, they must have had prior experience working in the mental health field, some personal or professional experience with trauma, OR possess a skill set that sets them apart from the average intern. Our interns undergo a fairly rigorous process that includes a preliminary candidate questionnaire that requires some in-depth questions around their experience. If selected, they are required to spend the first 50 hours of their placement in sessions with our seasoned therapists. This allows them to observe a wide array of clients and therapeutic styles. It also helps them begin formulating their professional identity and allows our seasoned therapists to see them in action with clients.

Interns receive weekly supervision from their university supervisor. They are also required to have weekly on-site supervision with a site supervisor for the duration of their placement (4 hours a month). They may participate in several consult groups with our licensed staff and leadership team, depending on their clients and areas of specialty. In addition, several of our interns obtain training in other treatment modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Trauma-Informed Hypnosis, Gottman Couples Counseling, etc. at some point during their internship to prepare them to launch into their role as a Master’s Level Counselor.

We see having interns as the key to keeping costs low without sacrificing the standard of care. It’s also a way to invest in the counseling profession through education and mentoring.