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A Turning Point: Insights into Trauma-Informed Care

Before Nichols came to ɫ��ֱ��, she was managing her consulting business in Washington and did not plan on returning to nursing. But when trauma hit her family, she changed course.

“My son had been living in North Carolina with his father, a recently retired veteran,” said Nichols. “Five years ago, he died by suicide. I dropped everything and moved to North Carolina.”

"When suicide touched my family, everything changed,” Nichols continued. “The experience deepened my understanding of trauma, grief, and the gaps that exist in mental health support for both veterans and youth. It was a turning point that made this work deeply personal."

Nichols connected her personal experience with broader trends in the state, leading to a profound commitment to addressing mental health needs in the community.

“When I came to North Carolina, I saw the need,” Nichols continued. “Suicide is now the leading cause of death for North Carolina youth ages 10 to 14, and one in five North Carolina high school students reported seriously considering suicide in 2021. For me, those numbers represented children, families, and communities that needed support."

While attending a North Carolina Nurses Association conference in 2022, Nichols learned about ɫ��ֱ��'s Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program and saw that as integral to her mission.

“As someone who started with a GED, the MSN represented so much more than a degree. It was proof that where you begin does not determine where you can go,” said Nichols. “Returning to school became non-negotiable because I knew I wanted to expand my impact in advocating for children and families.”

In addition to pursuing her MSN, Nichols began volunteering and doing community advocacy work, including teaching trauma-informed yoga to children. When she saw an advertisement for , she applied and was selected. This grant allowed her to kickstart  in 2024, along with a special arm of Integrity Nurse Consultants called , which is focused on Medicaid populations, care coordination, behavioral health support, and trauma-informed wellness services. 

Nichols is currently engaged in stigma reduction in elementary and middle schools, which includes building “calm corners” to support students’ mental health. 

“It's like a reset room that allows the child to just socially and emotionally regulate themselves, and it’s outfitted based on the school,” said Nichols. “We've got hands-on fidgets, we've got yoga mats, we've got tactile things on the walls.”

Nichols was the keynote speaker for the 2025 Student Mental Health Summit at Mitchell Community College and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Black People Die By Suicide Too. She said she hopes to continue to raise awareness around youth mental health and suicide in the Black community through her work with nurses, too.

“What I'm looking to do now is to bring that conversation into the school's nursing department, and to help them have those conversations with the kids,” said Nichols. “I think trauma-informed approaches should be part of the core curriculum for all nurses—how to meet someone where they are, acknowledging their unique lived experiences and recognizing our own healed or unhealed traumas.”

“I'm on an assignment in life. I'm extremely purpose driven,” Nichols added. “Everything that I do, I believe is a calling.”

Choosing ɫ��ֱ�� Again: Education, Innovation, Partnership

After graduating with her MSN in December 2024, Nichols chose to continue her education through the DNP program, channeling the same interests that drive her business and nonprofit into new projects and avenues. 

“For my DNP project, I'm creating conversation cards for school nurses to have trauma-informed, culturally appropriate conversations with Black and Brown girls as it relates to their menstrual cycle,” said Nichols. "We have evidence that shows missed school days because of menstrual poverty, and we need to equip school nurses—especially those in diverse schools, who might not look like the population they serve—to be able to have those conversations so they can provide resources.” 

Nichols will be collaborating with the School of Nursing’s , which is focused on addressing health inequities in the Black community. The lab’s Co-Director , will serve as her DNP project chair. 

“I absolutely couldn’t see myself at any other institution because I see that ɫ��ֱ�� walks the talk,” said Nichols. “I’m gaining top-notch knowledge and education that’s applicable, and I have instructors who want their students to succeed and will walk alongside us to get us there.”

Meanwhile, Nichols says she is also gaining valuable insights and professional development through the School’s Nurse Innovator and Entrepreneur specialty certificate program, directed by Professor . She hopes to utilize new networks, skills, and opportunities in launching her pediatric behavioral health clinic, building on all her previous work.

"I’m gaining top-notch knowledge and education that’s applicable, and I have instructors who want their students to succeed and will walk alongside us to get us there."

“My vision is to create a place where children, adolescents, and families can access behavioral health support before they reach a crisis,” said Nichols. “I want families to have a trusted place to turn for mental health services, care coordination, wellness support, and prevention-focused care.”

“There is so much innovation here at ɫ��ֱ��; I’m in the right place for sure,” Nichols added. “I think the clinic will be a staple in this community, and I’ll have my ɫ��ֱ�� education to thank for that.”