Nakissa Thomas, LMSW-IPR | Therapist for Depression, Anxiety & Life Transitions
Therapist | (She/Her)
If you've been carrying something heavy — and you're not even sure anymore how long it's been there — this might be the right place.
Hi! I'm Nakissa.
I work with adults who are navigating some of life’s harder chapters: persistent depression that dulls the color out of things, anxiety that makes it hard to trust yourself or feel settled, and the kind of life transitions that leave you wondering who you are on the other side.
I’m drawn to this work because I believe people are more than their symptoms. Whatever you’re struggling with right now is part of a larger story — and when we can understand that story together, something shifts. My approach is collaborative and genuinely curious. I won’t hand you a workbook and call it therapy. I’ll be present with you, ask questions that matter, and help you find your own way through.
I work from a trauma and attachment-informed foundation, which means I’m always looking at more than what’s on the surface. I use EMDR, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness-based approaches — not as a checklist, but as tools I draw from based on what’s actually useful for you.
I’m also a Persian therapist and a native Farsi speaker. For clients from Iranian or broader Middle Eastern backgrounds, I offer a space where your cultural context doesn’t need to be translated or explained.
You might be someone who:
- Has been dealing with depression or anxiety long enough that it’s started to feel like just who you are — and you’re ready to find out if that’s actually true
- Is in the middle of a significant life transition: a relationship ending, a career change, a loss, a move, a shift in identity — and you’re not sure who you are in this new chapter
- Feels overwhelmed more often than not, and exhausted by how much energy it takes to keep up
- Has tried to think your way out of how you feel — and noticed that hasn’t been enough
- Is from an Iranian, Persian, or Middle Eastern background and wants a therapist who genuinely understands your cultural experience, not just tolerates it
- Is new to therapy, skeptical of it, or has had mixed experiences before and is trying again
Sessions with me tend to feel like a real conversation — unhurried, open, and focused on what matters most to you that day. I’ll follow your lead while also noticing things you might not have named yet. I’m curious by nature, and I find that curiosity is often what makes therapy feel different from just talking: we’re looking together, not just venting.
If EMDR feels like a useful fit for what you’re working through, I’ll explain what it involves and we’ll build the foundation before anything else. If CBT or mindfulness tools are more relevant, we’ll work with those. Most clients find that our work draws from several approaches depending on what the moment calls for.
What stays consistent is this: you’ll feel heard, and we’ll be working toward something real.
You don't have to have the right words for what you're going through before you reach out. That's what we'll figure out together.
Specialties
Depression Depression isn’t just sadness — it’s often a quiet dimming. Energy, motivation, meaning, connection — things that used to feel accessible start to feel far away. I help clients understand what’s underneath their depression, not just manage the symptoms, and find their way back to a life that feels like their own. → Learn more about depression therapy at Onward
Anxiety Anxiety has a way of narrowing your world — making you second-guess yourself, brace for things that haven’t happened, and feel like calm is always just out of reach. I work with clients to understand what’s driving their anxiety at a deeper level and build a more grounded relationship with uncertainty. → Learn more about anxiety therapy at Onward
Life Transitions Some transitions are chosen. Some aren’t. Either way, moving through a major chapter of change — in relationships, career, identity, family, or life stage — can be disorienting even when it’s the right thing. I work with clients in the middle of that disorientation and help them find solid ground on the other side.
EMDR Therapy EMDR is a research-supported approach that helps the brain process experiences that are still affecting you in the present — often more efficiently than talk therapy alone. As an EMDR-trained therapist, I use this approach selectively and carefully, always with a strong foundation in place first. → Learn more about EMDR therapy at Onward
Culturally Sensitive Therapy — Persian and Iranian Clients I’m Iranian, and I grew up navigating the particular experience of holding two cultures at once — along with everything that comes with that: family expectations, the way mental health is talked about (or not), immigration and identity, and the specific texture of the Persian-American experience. If you’re from that world, you won’t have to explain it to me. I offer sessions in both English and Farsi.
Client Populations: Adults & adolescents
Areas of Focus: Grief & Loss, Stress Management, Anxiety, Depression, Life Transitions, Women’s Issues, Relational Therapy
Treatment Modalities: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered and relational-cultural approach, strengths-based, trauma-informed, holistic perspective
Rates: $130 per 50 minute session, out-of-network insurance, superbill can be provided upon request
Credentials:
Nakissa is a Licensed Master Social Worker under clinical supervision with Molly Cook, LCSW-S.
Masters in Social Work Degree from University of Texas at Arlington
EMDR-Trained by Kelly Slaven, LCSW-S
People describe Nakissa as helpful, positive, sometimes sarcastic, a problem-solver, and opinionated. Her kind personality and easy-going attitude make it easy to connect with her. She loves spending time with family and friends, cooking, baking, gardening, decorating, and hosting events.
the best relational therapist for stress management in Dallas?
Nakissa is a relational therapist helping clients and family members dealing with mental health conditions. Dealing with stress, negative thoughts and feelings and unhelpful coping mechanisms are frequently part of experiencing mental illness. A licensed mental health professional helps tackle destructive patterns and master difficult feelings so that you can feel in control of your life and excited about the future.
Nakissa's Specialities Include
- Women’s Issues
- Grief
- Anxiety & Burnout
- Identity Exploration
- Stress Management
- Personal Growth
- Trauma & PTSD
- Life Transitions
- Trouble in Relationships
Many people find that a relational therapist for stress is the support they need for improved mental health and wellness.
Nakissa Thomas is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and EMDR-trained therapist at Onward Therapy & Wellness in Dallas, Texas. She specializes in depression, anxiety, and life transitions, working with adults in person in Dallas and virtually throughout Texas. Nakissa is a native Farsi speaker and offers therapy in both English and Farsi, providing culturally sensitive care for Persian, Iranian, and Middle Eastern clients. She practices under the clinical supervision of Molly Jackson, LCSW-S. Nakissa is in-network with Cigna, Baylor Scott & White, and traditional Medicare, and offers a limited sliding scale. Onward Therapy & Wellness is located at 11910 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243.