Meet The Team
Carmen
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) | Bilingual in English & Spanish
I believe every individual and family carries a unique story shaped by their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. At the heart of my work is a deep respect for human dignity and the belief that everyone deserves to be heard, understood, and treated with respect.
My professional background brings together mental health counseling, education, and immigration law. My experience as an immigration paralegal has given me a meaningful understanding of the emotional complexities immigrant families face, including uncertainty, separation, cultural transitions, and the challenges of building a future in a new country.
Throughout my career in education, I have had the privilege of supporting first-generation college students, particularly young women, and their families as they pursued the dream of higher education. My work extended beyond academic guidance to helping families navigate immigration-related questions and concerns, financial barriers, and cultural expectations while supporting their daughters' educational aspirations. These experiences continue to shape my compassionate and culturally responsive approach.
I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Counseling, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling, from John F. Kennedy University, as well as a certification in College Counseling from UC San Diego. I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who has completed all required clinical hours.
Fluent in English and Spanish, I work with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds, offering therapeutic support and thoughtful psychological assessments informed by each person's unique circumstances.
Her commitment is simple: to approach every story with compassion, professional integrity, and an unwavering respect for human dignity.
Nicolette
Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Owner
Nicolette Hinkle, LCSW, is the founder of PathWise Behavioral Health and has worked in mental health and social services since 2006. She brings a broad background in therapy, case management, clinical assessment, and forensic work. Her experience spans private practice, community mental health, adolescent treatment programs, medical care coordination, and collaborative courts.
In her work, Nicolette supports adolescents and adults across the lifespan through a compassionate, collaborative approach. She draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), TEAM-CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), EMDR, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing. Her work also incorporates trauma-informed and attachment-focused approaches, with treatment tailored to each person’s needs, strengths, and goals.
Nicolette’s assessment experience includes comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluations, diagnostic assessments, suicide and self-harm risk assessments, and evaluations of treatment needs and program eligibility. Having served as an assessment coordinator, therapist, and clinical program leader, she understands the importance of thoughtful assessment in identifying concerns, guiding meaningful care, and assisting with immigration and legal cases.
Her background in forensic and court-related work includes managing several specialty court programs, appearing and testifying in court, providing medical-legal case management for people with catastrophic injuries, and completing assessments with people in custody. These roles deepened her understanding of the intersection of mental health, trauma, rehabilitation, and legal involvement.
As a case manager, Nicolette helps clients navigate complex health and mental health systems, access resources, and coordinate care. She has worked closely with medical providers, psychiatrists, attorneys, family members, conservators, and other professionals to support coordinated care that reflects each client’s needs and priorities.
Nicolette welcomes people of all races, ethnicities, countries of origin, immigration statuses, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, religions, abilities, and backgrounds. She approaches each person with respect, curiosity, and openness, recognizing how culture, identity, and experiences of discrimination can shape mental health as well as access to care and resources.
Across all areas of her work, Nicolette strives to help people feel heard, respected, and supported. She founded PathWise Behavioral Health in 2024 to offer individualized care that recognizes the whole person and the circumstances shaping their life.