Welcome to my practice

In order to maintain clarity regarding our use of electronic modes of communication during your treatment, I have prepared the following policy. This is because the use of various types of electronic communications is common in our society, and many individuals believe this is the preferred method of communication with others, whether their relationships are social or professional. Many of these common modes of communication, however, put your privacy at risk and can be inconsistent with the law and with the standards of my profession. Consequently, this policy has been prepared to assure the security and confidentiality of your treatment and to assure that it is consistent with ethics and the law.

If you have any questions about this policy, please feel free to discuss this with me.

Email Communications

I use encrypted email and telephone communication only for therapeutic and administrative purposes. That means that there should be no email exchanges and text messages with my office.  All communication with my office should be through encrypted email or telephone.  Any message left should be limited to the person’s name, date of call, and a brief description of the message. Please do not email me about clinical matters, because email is not a secure way to contact me. If you need to discuss a clinical matter with me, please feel free to call me so we can discuss it on the phone or wait so we can discuss it during your therapy session. I use Doxy.me for teletherapy communication. Teletherapy, the telephone, or face-to-face context simply is much more secure as a mode of communication.

Text Messaging

Because text messaging is a very unsecure and impersonal mode of communication, I do not text message to nor do I respond to text messages from anyone in treatment with me. So, please do not text message me unless we have made other arrangements.

Social Media

I do not communicate with, or contact, any of my clients through social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. In addition, if I discover that I have accidentally established an online relationship with you, I will cancel that relationship. This is because these types of casual social contacts can create significant security risks for you. I participate on various social networks, but not in my professional capacity. If you have an online presence, there is a possibility that you may encounter me by accident. If that occurs, please discuss it with me during our time together. I believe that any communications with clients online have a high potential to compromise the professional relationship. In addition, please do not try to contact me in this way. I will not respond and will terminate any online contact no matter how accidental.

Websites

I have a website that you are free to access, Richardnikla,lmhc.com. I use it for professional reasons to provide information to others about me and my practice. You are welcome to access and review the information that I have on my website and, if you have questions about it, we should discuss this during your therapy sessions.

Web Searches

 I will not use web searches to gather information about you without your permission. I believe that this violates your privacy rights; however, I understand that you might choose to gather information about me in this way. In this day and age there is an incredible amount of information available about individuals on the internet, much of which may actually be known to that person and some of which may be inaccurate or unknown. If you encounter any information about me through web searches, or in any other fashion for that matter, please discuss this with me during our time together so that we can deal with it and its potential impact on your treatment. Recently it has become fashionable for clients to review their health care provider on various websites. Unfortunately, mental health professionals cannot respond to such comments and related errors because of confidentiality restrictions. If you encounter such reviews of me or any professional with whom you are working, please share it with me so we can discuss it and its potential impact on your therapy. Please do not rate my work with you while we are in treatment together on any of these websites. This is because it has a significant potential to damage our ability to work together.

If you are expressing feelings of depression, anger, anxiety or stress in your daily life situations, and are not sure how to cope with these situations, or if you find yourself over indulging in substance abuse, eating or other habits you may benefit from seeking therapy to understand how you can live a happier and more productive life. Often, we cannot see these habits forming in ourselves but friends or family may be the first to point them out to us. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor that deals in trauma, substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, co-occurring disorders as well as other stress related disorders. If you are experiencing these symptoms or feel that you need to discuss feelings of depression, changing moods, anxiety, stress or other abnormal thought patterns please don’t hesitate to contact me. Click on the Services and Fees page read about the services, billing and what to bring to the first meeting.

• Florida Alcoholic and Drug Addiction Association
• Tampa Bay Psychoanalytic Society
• Suncoast Mental Health Counselors Association
• Bio Feedback Society of Florida

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Addiction Professional with a practice in New Port Richey and Sarasota, Florida. My experience involves substance abuse, depression, mood disorders, co-occurring disorders, anxiety disorders as well as psychotic disorders. I also assist in guiding people to reduce stress and live a more fulfilling way of life.

After attending school in Sarasota in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1970. Upon completing my military service I attended college in Florida, and graduated with a degree in Business/Accounting. I was in business in Sarasota for 25 years before I began working in the healthcare field in 1999. In 2001 I enrolled in Argosy/Sarasota, graduating with Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2005.

While attending Argosy, I began my Practicum at Kelly Hall in Punta Gorda, which was a level 6 residential Juvenile offenders program. Most of the clients there had been extensively involved in substance abuse as well as criminal behavior. I have also worked with The Intensive Delinquency Diversion Program in Charlotte County, working with children and their families that have been involved with juvenile delinquency. In addition, I have worked with children and their families through the Pinellas County School System and with adults having substance abuse issues, depression, mood and anxiety disorders, as well as co-occurring and psychotic disorders. My past experiences has also included working with the homeless in various lifestyle situations including addiction problems as well as other diagnoses that have complicated their lives. I started West Coast Behavioral Therapy, a private practice, in New Port Richey, Florida in 2012 moving that practice to Sarasota in October of 2016.

The most important part of therapy is for the therapist and the client to form a positive relationship. The purpose of therapy is for the therapist to understand the individual person or family, as a whole entity, that may be separate from his or her presenting symptoms. The dynamics in which a person lives is as much a part of who the person is as how they represent themselves. I endeavor to show deep respect and understanding to people and their presenting situations. I encourage guidance for the individual to understand themselves and how their perception and interactions affect their dynamics, moods, habits and motivation.