Meet Jessica Nickels of Complex Humxn Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Nickels

Hi Jessica, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
You bet! I’ve always been a helper—it was even a family joke (which, let’s be honest, usually hints at some deeper personal struggles). I was the one always checking in on feelings, listening, motivating. Early on, I learned that my identity and purpose were tied to helping others. Spoiler alert: that belief came with its own set of struggles and lessons.

So that’s what I did—every job I took was about helping, whether it was pouring drinks as a bartender or guiding clients as a personal trainer.

My first “big girl” job was as a fitness director at the YMCA, where I expanded my focus to chronic disease prevention and rehabilitation across Kansas City. I worked closely with cancer survivors, individuals with diabetes, Alzheimer’s research participants, and stroke survivors. But what stood out the most wasn’t just their physical recovery—it was the emotional toll on both patients and providers I collaborated with.

I kept seeing the same pattern: a deep lack of support for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being—for both those receiving care and those giving it.
I figured maybe I could do something about that—so I enrolled in grad school.

From the start, my goal was to become the helper’s helper. If I could support caregivers—helping them feel more secure, present, and fulfilled in their work—that impact wouldn’t just stop with them. It would ripple outward, touching lives beyond my own clients.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say it’s been more like a winding trail with unexpected detours, a few potholes, and the occasional landslide.

[Big inhale.]

I’ll skip over the chaos of my 20s—I’m still processing that wild ride. But without a doubt, grad school was one of the most challenging eras of my life.
In just three years, I switched careers, birthed two babies, worked full-time, and completed a counseling internship. Whew! Then, I graduated at the end of 2019, only to hit rock bottom in 2020—navigating personal trauma in the midst of a global pandemic. It was a landslide that nearly took me down. The hardest part was feeling like I lost myself. Motherhood drained me, and I struggled to show up as the caregiver I thought I was. My personal trauma made me question if I was even meant to be a therapist. And the pandemic? It left me alone with my own thoughts in a way that felt suffocating. That era was an identity crisis—if I couldn’t help others, then who was I?

[Exhale.]

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At its core, my work is about bringing the soul back to psychology. The word psyche literally means soul, yet the field has drifted away from that, focusing more on diagnosis, objectivity, and fitting people into categories rather than embracing our complexity. That’s why my practice is called Complex Humxn Counseling—because being human is complex, and that’s something to honor, not fix.

My background is in depth-oriented therapy, primarily Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), both of which explore how we relate to ourselves and others. These models pull from Jungian psychology, Eastern philosophy, and developmental theory, helping us move beyond logic to work with emotions, the body, and the subconscious.

Trauma can be a scary word, but at its root, it simply means ‘wound.’ Gabor Maté describes it as “a psychic wound that hardens you psychologically and interferes with your ability to grow and develop.” In a world that pushes productivity, perfection, and external validation, our brains—wired for safety—convince us that suppressing parts of ourselves is the only way to belong. The work I do is about undoing that. When we reconnect with who we really are, beyond expectations and conditioning, life starts to feel like it truly belongs to us again. And honestly, I can’t think of anything more meaningful than helping people find their way back to themselves.

Lately, I’ve been braver about sharing something that still feels a little taboo—I love weaving in Tarot, Oracle readings, and dreamwork. Imagery and symbolism activate our creativity, allowing us to step out of overthinking and into deeper shifts in consciousness. It brings in imagination, play—more aliveness.

My practice is based in Downtown Overland Park, a charming neighborhood with a strong sense of community. I feel so lucky. I get to spend my days helping people reconnect with their most authentic Self. It’s powerful work.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned—over and over again—is who I am outside of caring for others and how to actually care for myself. We hear it all the time: “Self-care isn’t selfish!” “You can’t pour from an empty cup!” “Put your oxygen mask on first!” But truly embodying that wisdom? This is my life’s work and journey back to my authentic self.

A specific sub-lesson on this journey has been reckoning with my terrible relationship with rest—like, one-star review bad. For the longest time, I only let myself rest when I was completely burnt out, pushed past my limits to the point of rage and hopelessness. Slowing down forced me to feel my feelings, and feeling my feelings was terrifying. I realized how vulnerable it was to acknowledge my own need for rest—how I feared it. Instead of listening to myself, I’d try to control my environment, suppress my needs, and push through because that’s what felt safe.

When I finally let myself tune in, I stopped shaming myself and started advocating for what I actually needed—mostly to myself, because I have a support system that wants me to care for myself. I learned to discern: Am I having an existential crisis, or do I just need a nap? And honestly? Most of the time, it was a nap.

For me, this work looks like therapy, taking days off, connecting with Love, working with Tarot, solo trips, beach novels, life-changing books, and deep, soul-baring conversations with people who truly see me. Doing this personal work allows me to be fully present with the people I love—including myself. And in that presence, I’ve learned how to actually enjoy the journey.

Pricing:

• $120-$180 per 50min session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://complexhumxncounseling.com