Hello! I’m Dr. Nik Priest

Licensed Psychological Associate (PSB 94028654)

I am a licensed psychological associate that provides therapy to adolescents, adults,  and couples in Santa Monica, California under the supervision of Dr. Sourena Haj-Mohamadi (PSY33230).

I  view therapy as a collaborative and creative process to help my clients become their best selves, improve adaptive patterns, and navigate difficult environments. We can often get stuck in patterns that are only partially successful and need more effective tools to improve our health and well-being. I believe therapy works best when there is a trusting and supportive relationship, clear goals, and hope for the future. I want to understand my clients as best I can so they feel heard and understood. I believe our job in therapy is to ‘learn how to learn’ so that I am no longer needed as a therapist. My area of specialty lies in working with trauma and PTSD, health, stress, performance, and life transitions.

I have worked in various clinical settings during my training, from college counseling centers to healthcare environments. I have enjoyed working with adults, college students, veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals. I am currently on my Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCLA Health as a Health and Behavior Psychologist, working with the trauma surgery team. 

I approach therapy from an integrated and holistic approach that is informed by mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, humanistic-existential therapy, and feminist theory. This means that I enjoy looking at an issue from as many angles as possible to find a solution that is tailored to my clients and their environments. I also incorporate my past career experiences as an actor and medical massage therapist to include creativity, humor, and somatic skills in my sessions.