Secure telehealth statewide · Florida & Ohio
I'm Nicole Kanaras, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I help adolescents, adults, and older adults heal from trauma, anxiety, and hard seasons of life, through secure telehealth anywhere in Florida or Ohio and walk-and-talk sessions outdoors on the Space Coast.
Accepting new clients · Insurance & sliding scale available
Specialties
Every story is different, and you don't need to fit neatly into a category to reach out. I work with adolescents, teens, adults, and older adults.
Painful experiences that still show up in your body, your sleep, or your relationships. EMDR and TF-CBT can help them loosen their grip.
Constant worry, racing thoughts, and what-ifs that won't let up. CBT gives you concrete tools to quiet them.
When getting through the day takes far more effort than it should and the things you used to enjoy feel flat.
A painful relationship with food, weight, or your body. I'm pursuing certification in CBT-E, a treatment designed specifically for eating disorders.
Work pressure, moves, breakups, new parenthood, and other seasons that shake your footing.
Recurring arguments, strained family dynamics, and patterns you keep repeating with the people closest to you.
Questions about who you are and where you belong, including LGBTQ+ identity and adjusting to a new culture. Care here is affirming and culturally sensitive.
Big feelings that seem to take over. DBT skills help you ride them out without being swept away.
About me
I believe healing is a choice.
While no one chooses to experience trauma or is responsible for what happened to them, each person has the opportunity to decide how to move forward. Therapy cannot erase the past, but it can provide the tools and support to foster healing and growth. Every individual has the capacity to change, and it is my privilege to walk alongside clients as they reclaim their lives and discover their own resilience.
Before opening my practice, I worked at PACE Center for Girls in Immokalee, Florida, supporting girls and young women through trauma, family stress, and some of the hardest stretches of growing up. That work showed me how much healing depends on feeling safe and truly heard.
I create a safe, compassionate space using evidence-based approaches, including CBT, TF-CBT, EMDR, and DBT. Together, we work to reintegrate the past with the present, making trauma a time-stamped, manageable part of life.
Outside of session, you can find me enjoying a good book, spending time with my two cats, watching college football, or searching for the world's best coffee.
Why Olive Branch
Staying true to my Greek roots: olive branches have been a sign of peace and a gesture to end conflict since Ancient Greece. They're associated with new beginnings, and I hope that is reflective of your therapeutic journey. The name is also in honor of my most precious Olive Branch.Nicole Kanaras, LCSW
Sessions
Meet by secure video from home, your office, or anywhere private in Florida or Ohio. There's no commute and no waiting room, and nothing gets lost in the work. For many concerns, research finds video therapy works about as well as meeting in person, and many clients open up more easily from a space where they already feel comfortable. Pets are welcome to join.
A session outdoors, walking side by side at a comfortable pace. Gentle movement and fresh air can ease stress and make hard conversations feel less intense. Before we start, we'll agree on a route, how to handle privacy in a public space, and a backup plan for Florida weather.
A short call to talk about what's going on and whether we're a good fit. There's no paperwork and no pressure to book. If I'm not the right fit, I'll help you find someone who is.
How I work
Treatment is tailored to you, never one-size-fits-all. A trauma-informed approach means safety comes first, you set the pace, and you have a say in every step.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they feel less intense. It works well over video using on-screen tools.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a structured, skills-based trauma treatment built for children and adolescents, often with a caregiver involved.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps you notice the thought and behavior patterns keeping you stuck and practice realistic ways to change them.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches practical skills for managing intense emotions, getting through a crisis, and handling relationships.
A brief, goal-oriented approach that builds on what's already working in your life, so you can make progress quickly.
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidence-based treatment designed specifically for eating disorders. I'm currently pursuing certification.
Getting started
Send a secure message through my client portal, or call (443) 379-4575. I reply the same day or within one business day.
We talk briefly about what's bringing you in and whether we're a good fit. You can ask anything.
You'll complete intake forms in your secure client portal. If you're using insurance, I'll also send a short consent form so sessions can be billed to your plan.
Fees & insurance
I'm in network with the plans below. Everyone books the same way, and if you're using insurance I'll send a short consent form so your sessions can be billed to your plan.
Coming soon: Florida Blue and UnitedHealthcare
Don't see your plan? Reach out and I'll check. If you have out-of-network benefits, I can give you a superbill to submit for possible reimbursement.
Under the federal No Surprises Act, if you don't have insurance or choose not to use it, you have the right to a written Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost. You can ask for one at any time, including before you schedule. If you're billed at least $400 more than your estimate, you can dispute the bill. Learn more at cms.gov/nosurprises.
Questions
Yes. Licensing rules require you to be physically located in Florida or Ohio during each telehealth session, even if you normally live somewhere else. If you'll be traveling, let me know and we'll plan around it. Walk-and-talk sessions are available in Florida only.
You book through the same secure client portal as everyone else. Before your first session, I'll send a separate consent form so your sessions can be billed to your plan. You'll typically pay only your copay or coinsurance.
We meet at an agreed spot in the Melbourne and Viera area and walk at a comfortable pace while we talk. Before your first walk, we'll decide how to handle privacy if we pass other people. If the weather turns, we can switch to a video session.
Yes. I work with adolescents and teens as well as adults and older adults. For clients under 18, a parent or guardian completes the intake and consent forms.
EMDR is a structured therapy that helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they carry less emotional charge. It's one of the trauma treatments recommended in clinical guidelines from the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
It works well over video. Instead of following a therapist's hand, you follow a moving point on your screen or use gentle tapping.
We'll talk about what brought you in, your background, and what you'd like to be different. It's a conversation, not a test. By the end we'll have a rough plan and a sense of how often to meet.
Yes. What you say in session stays private, with a few exceptions required by law: a serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else, suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or a court order. I'll go over these with you at the start. You can read the full details in my Notice of Privacy Practices.
Please give at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel. Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice are charged the full session rate. The fee is waived if you reschedule for the same week, based on my availability.
Contact
Reaching out is often the hardest part. Send a secure message to request a free 15-minute consultation, or call or email if you'd rather talk first. I reply the same day or within one business day.
Send a secure message through my SimplePractice client portal and I'll be in touch to set up your call. All communications are confidential.
Send a secure messageThis form is for non-urgent inquiries only.
If you are in crisis or need immediate help, please call 911, or call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.