Nikel Rogers-Wood, PhD

Hello and welcome here.  So glad you’ve decided to start therapy.  Choosing to start therapy is a big step and of course you want to make sure that your therapist is a good fit for you.  I’ll do my best to help you get a sense of who I am.

My name is Dr. Nikel Rogers-Wood, but over the years most of my clients have started calling me Dr. Nikel.  I’ve been seeing clients for 20+ years.  I am a licensed psychologist in Texas and Florida.  I believe that therapy is an important and unique journey we take together – not as expert and novice, but as partners in working through challenges you may be experiencing, difficulties you haven’t yet processed, or self-understanding you’re hoping to build.  Though the work can be difficult at times, it is also incredibly rewarding.  I am here to walk the road alongside you, at your own pace.

The way I see therapy is that you are the expert on you and you invite me to join you on your journey.  You know most about how things are unfolding in your life and I bring a new perspective along with expertise on social, emotional, and psychological functioning so that, together, we can explore your experience and grow toward living the kind of authentic and fulfilling life you envision for yourself.  If I seem like a fit for what you’re looking for, please reach out and we can schedule a consultation call.  I would appreciate the opportunity to work with you.

Contact:

DrRogersWood@TheChrysalisCenter.com

(817) 349-2888

1130 N. Kimball, Ste 120, Southlake TX 76092

Populations Served
  • Women’s emotional health (relationships – friendships and romantic relationships, self-concept, self-discovery, fertility concerns, motherhood)
  • Body image concerns
  • Young adult concerns
  • Life transitions (college, job change, moving, change in relationship, etc.)
  • Living with health-related concerns
  • Family dynamics
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Exploring racial identity
My Approach to Therapy

Therapeutically, I use a mix of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.  All that means is that I believe relationships are a central dynamic in our lives and that how we see ourselves and interact with others are often connected to early relationships, though we might be unaware of these links.  These early relationship dynamics may repeatedly draw us to certain types of people, situations, or environments.  Building an understanding of these underlying dynamics can empower us to make different decisions in the areas where we would like to see change.  I also bring mindfulness techniques, a focus on the here and now, and an overarching curiosity about who you are, who you would like to be, and what you would like your life to be about.  Additionally, it is not unusual for me to interweave humor, where appropriate, into therapy sessions.  Above all, I believe that our relationship is the most important piece of the therapeutic process, so I work with clients to cultivate a collaborative relationship that is rooted in trust, empathy, and a commitment to your growth.

What You Can Expect

Initially, I meet with clients on a weekly basis, though this can be adjusted at a later time if need be.  Your session time is reserved just for you, so it is important that we start on time so that you can have the full session for our work together.  Because you are the expert on you, rather than directing where the session goes, I typically open with ‘what’s important for us to focus on today?’  There is no right or wrong answer to that question – you need not have had a major occurrence during the week for therapy to be worthwhile and it is okay if it’s important to return to topics we have previously discussed.  At the close of the session we will check in on how the session went, if there are any lingering thoughts or topics you’d like to close with or that you’d like to explore in our next session.  Something to remember is that though it can be tempting to compartmentalize the work we’re doing to the therapy session alone, it’s important to reflect on the work during the week.  Keep in mind that much of your growth and practice of new ways of being will occur outside of our sessions.

Education

2008-2009:  Post-doctoral position at Christian Psychological Center in Memphis, TN

Dissertation:  Examining a model of eating pathology in African-American college students

2007-2008:  PreDoctoral Intership at the University of Memphis Counseling Center (formerly Center for Counseling, Learning, and Testing)

2001 – 2008:  Ph.D. Counseling Psychology from the University of North Texas with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy with additional coursework in Women’s Emotional Health

2001 – 2006:  Master of Science Psychology from the University of North Texas

1997-2001: Bachelor of Arts Psychology, Minor Anthropology from Sewanee: University of the South

Training and Experience
  • Dr. Nikel Rogers-Wood has worked in a variety of settings from college counseling centers to private practice and skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.  Dr. Rogers-Wood has provided both therapy and psychological assessment services.  In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Rogers-Wood has been an assistant professor and is currently a project director in research and development for a major psychological test publisher.
  • Academic work – adjunct professor and assistant professor
  • College Counseling Center – worked in the roles of intern, staff psychologist, and post-doctoral fellowship coordinator
  • Consulting Psychologist for skilled nursing and assisted living facilities
  • Private Practice clinician – therapy with individual, couples, and families, provided eating disorder treatment in individual and group modalities, career assessment and vocational sessions, worked as a corporate consultant for team building and conflict resolution, performed neuropsychologically informed psychological assessment, worked as a clinical director
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida
  • Project director for psychological assessment publisher
  • IRT and CAT using Concerto – 3 day intensive statistics course by the University of Cambridge Psychometrics Centre
Media
  • Co-host, writer, and producer of the “At the Same Time” podcast
  • Unconscious Bias – Unveiling Racism: Women in Science Panel for the Southeastern Connecticut Women’s Network (March 2021)
  • Interviewed for “Wired” article “From Podcasts to Zoom Workshops, Friendship is Big Business” (December 2020)
  • Panelist for “Can We Talk? A Community Conversation About Race” for WEDU (Tampa Bay PBS station) (July 2020))
  • “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Friend From Another Perspective” Guest blogger for 78cups.com (June 2020)
  • “Quarantine Habits: How to Keep the Good Ones and Break the Bad Ones.”  Interview with Jenny Dean of 10 Tampa Bay (May 2020).
  • Interviewed for a piece on keeping kids safe online.  “Ocala Mom Says YouTube Video Gave Suicide Instructions for Kids” Fox 13 Tampa Bay (February 2019)
Research
  • Leader for 2 groups used in evaluating the efficacy of interventions on decreasing eating disorder symptomatology in women – for a colleague’s dissertation research
  • Master’s Thesis:  The Continuity and Discontinuity Perspectives of Eating Disturbance:  A Taxometric Analysis of a College Population
  • Currently a project director in the research and development department of a major psychological test publisher.  Focus is on the enhancement, revision, and development of rating scales and performance based assessments.
Publications
  • Rogers Wood, N.A. & Petrie, T.A.  (2010). Body Dissatisfaction, Ethnic Identity, and Disordered Eating Among African American Women. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57, 141-153.
  • Coleman, P.K., Trent, A., Bryan, S., King, B., Rogers, N., Nazir, M. (2002). Parenting behavior, mother’s self-efficacy beliefs, and toddler performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Early Child Development and Care, 172, 123-140
Presentations & Trainings
  • Rogers-Wood, N. (2022, October). Should My Student be Tested? Online: PARTalks.
  • Holman, A. R. & Rogers-Wood, N. (2022, June). Antiracist Psychological Assessment: Acknowledging the Harmful History and Moving Toward a More Inclusive, Equitable Process. Online: PARTalks.
  • Rogers-Wood, N. (2014, December). Navigating the Holidays in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Largo, FL:  Palm Garden of Largo Family Council Meeting.
  • Wood, N.A.R. & Petrie, T.A. (2009, August). Disordered Eating Among African American Women: Influence of Psychosocial Variables. Toronto, Canada:  APA National Convention.
  • Wood, N.A.R. (2008, Spring) Generational gaps and managing distressed students.  Memphis, TN: Annual Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders
  • Wood, N.A.R. (2007, Fall) Exercise and Aging Memphis, TN:  The Brothers of Christian Brothers University
  • Rogers, N.A & Petrie, T.A. (2006, August). Psychosocial Correlates of Disordered Eating Among Female Undergraduates. New Orleans, LA:  APA National Convention.
Affiliations
  • Member of the American Psychological Association
Recognitions & Awards
  • Nominated for the Barbara Kirk Award by major professor (American Psychological Association, Division 17), Spring 2009
  • Award for outstanding service, Department of Housing and Residence Life, University of North Texas, Spring 2007
  • Member of Graduate Association of Students in Psychology (GASP), Spring 2003-Spring 2006, University of North Texas Psychology Department
  • Vice-President of GASP Fall/Spring 2004-2005 (a nominated/elected position)
  • Departmental Scholarship, Psychology, University of North Texas, 2002-2003 & 2003-2004
  • Regents Scholarship, 1997-2001
  • National Achievement Finalist, 1997