I was really struggling with anxiety, and difficulties with my family life when (ironically) a family member sent me Nicole’s website. From the first session with her I felt reassured and I appreciated how she clearly layed out a treatment plan that she thought would be the most beneficial for me. We worked on the sources of my anxiety and the conflict with my family for a full year, and she was always transparent and compassionate in her approach.
I feel I now have so many more coping mechanisms for when potentially anxiety inducing situations arise, and I genuinely feel like EMDR therapy helped me to overcome very ingrained negative self beliefs. I am so grateful to Nicole for her help, and would recommend her to anyone who needs a warm therapist who works from a solid, evidence-based approach.
Before I started seeing Nicole, I was seeing another therapist.
At that time I just needed to talk to someone who could understand what I was going through and she just didn’t really fit. I felt she wasn’t understanding and that there was no way I was going to take the train to Faro every Wednesday, sit and talk to someone who I felt wasn’t getting me or comprehending my problems, so I left.
I met Nicole a couple of weeks later. At first I was shy, like everyone usually is when meeting new people. It took me a while to open up to her and know that she was here not to judge or laugh and point out but instead to help and understand me. Meeting up with her was one of the best choices I’ve made. She helped me through so much. I got over social anxiety and meeting new people. I’m able to talk to my parents without worrying about what their reactions might be and I feel more comfortable and confident than I’ve ever felt my whole life.
Mentally and physically I appreciate the person I am today and it’s all thanks to Nicole. I wouldn’t have gotten here without her and for that I could never thank her enough.
Thank you for all you’ve done Nicole!
My mother found Nicole when I had developed an eating disorder in 2021. I was at a very vulnerable point in my life and truly did not see the damage that I was causing to myself. I was filled with fear and skepticism, doubting my worthiness and ability to heal. Opening up to a “stranger” seemed like an insurmountable task.
However, upon meeting Nicole, her compassionate and gentle approach disarmed me completely, melting away my reservations. This was surprising because I had become disconnected even from my loved ones. Determined to recover, I persevered, and within a few sessions, we unraveled the root of my problem. It was something my subconscious had buried deep within, but through Nicole’s step-by-step method, we tackled the issue as soon as it surfaced.
I am a student and have successfully been able to finish my studies whilst simultaneously battled a mental illness. Even when I moved back abroad, Nicole continued to support me through Zoom. I am now in my early twenties realising that I have not only been able to work through things that could have gotten to me later in life but also gained someone I now consider an integral part of my support system.
Words cannot describe how grateful I am that my mother found Nicole. Nicole has truly made me feel so proud how far I’ve come. Even after my recovery, I intend to maintain contact with her because she has become someone truly dear to me. Nicole is not only an exceptional therapist but, above all, a genuinely kind person who I believe everyone deserves to have in their lives.
Certainly the sessions with Nicole have been therapeutic but that’s what they are supposed to be. More significantly, my experience of them has two words that come up: grounding and liberating. What I found is that these meetings for me have been most of all grounding and liberating. Grounding in a sense that they have supported my coming more firmly and surely to myself and being comfortable with that self. Liberating in the sense that they have helped me and supported me in shedding some of the negative attachments and “stuckness” that I have accumulated in the course of many years of my life. In my relationships as well as in daily encounters and simply in going about my business of the day and even night. So I can well say that Nicole has really been instrumental in a growth in freedom, a growth in liberating of the self. And I can say that her approach is non invasive and yet it is participatory in which she joins one in their quest, in their process and it is a welcome joining because it’s an exchange in a conversation rather than a preaching or a teaching. And so whoever is taking the plunge or is thinking about taking the plunge into a quest for more grounding for themselves or more shedding of dead skin if you will, I can wholeheartedly recommend Nicole. Now, that said, not everyone will find her to be their cup of tea or coffee or vodka and you will just have to try it out to see if the shoe fits. Anyhow, so much for that. Good luck and may the best part of you win.
I suffered from depression, very low self worth, and no confidence.
I am very grateful to have found Nicole who is a very kind, gentle and understanding therapist. Nicole has helped me trust and believe in myself again.
Nicole is a wonderful therapist whom I highly recommend.
I am very grateful to have found Nicole. After suffering from clinical depression over many years I was lucky enough that Nicole was recommended to me by my practitioner at the time.
Nicole was caring with a gentle manner and after a few sessions she managed to see where some of my problems lay. We worked on them and she suggested a few books to read that helped immensely.
Nicole has great insight, knowledge, patience, understanding and all the qualifications that helped me to keep the low times at bay! I am so very grateful for my sessions with her. I would not hesitate to recommend Nicole to anybody. I hope she can help you as much as she has helped me!
Thank you Nicole.
My first panic attack came out of the blue and I definitely did not recognise it as such.
After a few very uncomfortable weeks and no logical medical explanation, my doctor suggested a panic attack. I was in denial and kept going for another very uncomfortable 18 months or so. Yoga and meditation was not “fixing” the problem and I started getting noise sensitive and being very jumpy.
I realised I needed help and am very grateful that I found Nicole in the Internet. She took me “under her wing” and with her very gentle manner, guided me through the next few weeks with her very special and caring style. I was in fact, feeling so low, that on several occasions, I suggested involving medication but she was always able to steer away from this solution, telling me she had my back and that together we could tackle my issues.
With a lot of discussions, me following her advice and “going back to 0” for a while and her recommended breathing and relaxation exercises, I soon started feeling much better. She has been an absolute lifesaver and a couple of months later, I am now ready to face life again and move on after this dark period in my life.
Forever thankful!!
Sometimes one of the hardest things to do when suffering depression is to ask for help. It can be even harder to pour your soul out to a complete stranger.
From the first time I spoke to Nicole I felt I was in good hands. Her gentle voice and manner helped me to accept my depression and then gently guided me through an understanding of why I felt like I did. Even after a few sessions I realised that with her help, there was hope for the future.
I cannot thank Nicole enough for her professionalism and for all the help and support she has given me.
Nicole always made me feel safe and at ease around her. She has this great skill of making the sessions feel like a simple friendly conversation between two adults. And before you’d even notice you’re making great progress.
I approached Nicole with an untreated 21 years old traumatic event that had slowly turned over the years into a severe PTSD.
We commonly decided to start an EMDR treatment for at least 6 months with weekly sessions. Five months and 2 weeks later I was ready to start the rest of my new life.
I am forever grateful to this wonderful being that is Nicole Plattner. Everybody needs a Nicole in their live.
Nicole is a gifted therapist.
I came to her because of a skin condition and my mental health was really low because of it. She helped me deal with my scratching behavior like it was an OCD and that allowed me to feel better about myself and progress rapidly.
After a while, she helped me uncover some childhood conditionings, and when I felt ready we did some EMDR to release and remove patterns linked to my OCD.
She was really supportive and due to her extended experience, she always had the best example to share. It was easy to open to her and I am glad I could continue with our sessions via zoom even though I wasn’t in the Algarve anymore.
When I first started working with Nicole, I was feeling very lost. My mum had died the previous year, leaving me my elderly father’s carer. I was missing my sons over in the UK because of the pandemic and was extremely unsure about my relationship with my partner.
Nicole helped me focus on the real issue that was causing me so much stress, once I knew where the main cause of anxiety lay I was able to realise what I needed to do, where my goals lay, and she gave me the confidence to start along the path to achieve them.
I started working with Nicole when I was in a very dark place with a lot of negative thoughts and intentions to match. She helped me to face and work through many issues I have struggled with since childhood and adolescence. Without psychobabble, dogma or jargon, Nicole finds what works for you: in my case a mixture of analysis, EMDR and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She has a way of connecting, understanding and guiding that helps to bring about real change for the better. Genuinely compassionate, warm and insightful, Nicole also has a tremendous sense of humour that helps to put things in perspective. I am very grateful to have found someone of her talent and integrity so close to my new home in the Algarve. Lovely person. Wonderful therapist. Highly recommended.
I have no hesitation in recommending Nicole very highly.
I worked with her for about 8 months on issues that had troubled me most of my adult life. From the very first session I felt her warmth and genuine concern. It was very easy to talk with Nicole and she listened in a way that I really felt heard. She has a talent for spotting what needs to be worked on and the best approach for it. Nicole instinctively knows when to dig deeper, which she always did with my permission.
I can confidently say that our sessions have made an enormous difference to the way I now think, feel and act. I only wish I had found her earlier.
A year on from completing my EMDR treatment with Nicole and letting the dust settle I felt it was time for a second round of the praise section!
Nicole and I did a lot of heavy lifting analysis and detailed work around a hugely sensitive trauma. Whilst it was a very tough ride to go through it was worth it and a year down the line I can say I´m definitely on the right track. All the concentrated ground work, precision and care taken to ensure that no stone was left unturned means a year later, and upon reflection, I feel confident that it was worth it and that I was very lucky to find Nicole – she really is a talented therapist.
Therapy with Nicole is best described as going on a journey, to your past, present and future, with the very best companion.
Having completed a course of EMDR and therapy sessions with Nicole, I feel like I have discovered my best self in all aspects of my life. Coming from someone who has suffered and struggled with depression and depressive episodes throughout my life, it is an absolute revelation. The process has been so natural and with Nicole’s deeply caring guidance, sense of humour and expertise I have emerged as someone I enjoy being.
I want to thank you Nicole for giving me a sense of myself that I never thought possible, a true gift.
I have suffered depression for almost 20 years and with the recent development of severe tinnitus, I found coping with life difficult. Having contacted Nicole, who was undaunted by the tinnitus problem despite admitting limited experience, I commenced face to face treatment with her during my stay in Portugal. In February I returned to the UK and since that time we have maintained contact using zoom sessions.
During my treatment we have tried several different approaches before arriving at the best solution currently for me. Having unsuccessfully scoured the internet for suitable hypnosis/relaxation input Nicole went the extra mile by producing a bespoke hypnosis/mindfulness/ relaxation recording for me, which has become an important tool in my treatment.
My mental health has improved noticeably to date and I find coping with my Tinnitus has become much easier, to the extent it now does not dominate my life all the time.
My treatment is ongoing. At the outset, Nicole was honest in advising no quick fix to my problems and continues with treatment options as we progress. I never feel any pressure from her at any time though.
With past experience of mental health professionals, I have no hesitation in recommending her. I am confident she will be able to assist me to a level of quality in my life, which was beyond my comprehension a few months ago.
In my opinion, she is an exceptional practitioner, possibly unique in the breadth of skills at her disposal and ability to interlink them together. I particularly like her gentle demeanour which, with confidence and empathy, is delivered in a way that indicates real concern for the patient.
Nicole has an inate ability to know exactly what her clients need and always is calm, clear, naturally empathetic, incisive and highly competent.
I would recommend Nicole to anyone that needs basic counselling for addiction, general relationship work and for those with significant issues that may require psychotherapy and EMDR treatment.
The work Nicole and I completed was complex PTSD and EMDR therapy. She was incredible in her ability to analyse, manage and treat a highly intricate set of problems.
EMDR is intensive and concentrated; her guidance and understanding were crucial to enabling me to move forward and successfully deal with significant trauma.
Nicole works remotely and at her home in the Algarve. My treatment was a mixture of remote sessions via Skype and face-to-face sessions for the EMDR memory work.
Nicole’s in depth knowledge and understated manner are attributes of this highly qualified, sophisticated and extremely capable therapist who equally is at ease working remotely and in face-to-face consultations.
I can’t recommend her highly enough.
Hi Nicole. l’d just like to thank you for the help you gave me. Your kind gentle care made it so much easier for me to work my problems out that I didn’t realise I was hiding inside, feel so much better l’m enjoying life again. Thank You!
“When I was at a very low point in my life, Nicole, with her soft and gentle approach, enabled me to see there was a way forward. She has many different methods and techniques which she uses depending which suits you and your problems/needs the best. Highly recommendable.”
“I felt valued and listened to while receiving treatment. From my very first session, there was a feeling of direction concerning treatment, with clear aims and outcomes. Each session felt like a challenging, yet manageable, stepping stone, and I’m still feeling the benefits to this day.”
“I came to Nicole seeking guidance, understanding, and kindness. Throughout our sessions, Nicole was gentle and insightful. She listened carefully and offered an array of resources and techniques to equip me with. I felt her sincerity in developing an effective and meaningful treatment plan, to which there was always a sense of direction and purpose. She was also very open and transparent throughout the process, allowing for true collaboration and understanding.”
“Nicole was recommended to us by the healthcare team that was providing 24/7 nursing care for my mother. My mother is completely bed bound with ALS and, although her physical well-being was being looked, after my mother’s mental health was deteriorating. Nicole spent several home visit sessions with my mother and helped her to considerably improve her general outlook on her situation. We appreciate Nicole’s input greatly and would highly recommend her – she has a thoroughly professional and compassionate manner.”
“I decided to stop smoking again in February this year. This would be my 5th attempt during 27 years as a smoker so I contacted Nicole for some hypnotherapy to help me to stop. Nicole’s technique worked perfectly, her peaceful demeanour helped me to relax, she creates a calm, tranquil environment where the sessions are held and encourages you to be truly honest and speak openly and freely. I had 2 counselling sessions first, and Nicole gave me some links to relaxation videos to practice before the hypnosis. On the day of the hypnosis I had my final cigarette just before the session and I haven’t looked back since. I don’t crave them, don’t miss them and I don’t feel that I am missing out. It’s just something that I don’t have to do anymore. I cannot thank Nicole enough for freeing me of what was a huge burden for so many years.”