From People-Pleaser to Empowered Therapist: My Journey to Helping Women Reclaim Their Lives
Meet Nicole
I’m Nicole Byrne, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Pasadena psychotherapist. As a therapist in Pasadena, I specialize in helping high-achieving, emotionally attuned women across California and Nevada - offering online therapy that’s compassionate, grounded, and real.
I specialize in helping women who feel overwhelmed, anxious, or burnt out—women who are praised for being strong and dependable, even while quietly unraveling inside. I know what that’s like, because I’ve lived it too.
My Healing Journey
My path to becoming a therapist began with my own healing. Growing up in the Bay Area, I experienced firsthand the power of therapy in my own life. The support I received through Bay Area counseling helped me reconnect with parts of myself I had long ignored, and it shaped how I now show up as a therapist in Pasadena.
That experience was life-changing. It taught me to be curious rather than furious, to relate to my pain with care instead of criticism, and to shift from feeling “not enough” to knowing I am worthy—mess and all.
My journey hasn’t been linear. It’s been full of detours, discoveries, and growth. And that’s exactly how healing works. It’s why I believe therapy isn’t just a place to talk—it’s a space to be real, build insight, and begin living in a way that actually feels like you again.
I’m Intentional
As a mom of two and an empathic introvert, I know what it’s like to give so much of yourself that burnout feels inevitable. For years, I believed self-sacrifice was just part of being a “good person.”
But I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Prioritizing your well-being isn’t selfish—it’s essential.
My approach is often described as holistic counseling, because I see you as a whole person—mind, body, and relationships. As a holistic counselor offering online therapy in California and Nevada, I blend evidence-based practices with a compassionate, real-world approach so the changes we make together actually last.