Smiling portrait of Nicole Schutzbank at her therapy office in Tucson, Arizona.

  Tucson Therapist  ✽  Nicole Schutzbank

Hi, I’m Nicole

I believe therapy should feel warm, collaborative, creative, and genuinely human.

I bring curiosity, authenticity, and humor into our work, creating space for you to explore your experiences, better understand yourself, and feel more at home in who you are.

My Story

I'm a New Yorker who has made a home in the desert, a creative, and someone who has always been curious about people and the ways we make meaning from our experiences. My own life experiences have shaped the way I understand growth, connection, and the importance of having space to explore who we are. They've taught me the value of curiosity, self-reflection, and learning to trust yourself through change and uncertainty.

Creativity has always been an important part of my life. Art has given me ways to make meaning, express emotions, explore different perspectives, and connect with others. It has shaped not only how I understand myself, but how I listen — with openness, curiosity, and an appreciation for what might be beneath the surface.

Bringing together my interests in mental health, creativity, and human connection ultimately led me to counseling and art therapy. Today, those perspectives continue to shape how I work: relationally, creatively, and with a genuine curiosity about each person's experience.

Nicole Schutzbank in the Sonoran Desert at dusk

  • Ph.D. Candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision, University of the Cumberlands

    M.A. in Clinical Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, Long Island University

    B.A. in Art History and Studio Art, Pace University

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Arizona

    Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in New York

    Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington

  • Registered Clinical Supervisor in Arizona

    Board-Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC)

    Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS)

    Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS)

  • International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy

    Association for Counselor Education and Supervision

    International Expressive Arts Therapy Association

    American Art Therapy Association

    American Counseling Association

  • Prescott College — Director & Program Coordinator, Expressive Arts Therapy Post-Graduate Certificate Program; Associate Faculty, Counseling

    Ottawa University — Adjunct Instructor

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Rooted in purpose

✽ Rooted in purpose

Nicole Schutzbank looking out over the Sonoran Desert at dusk.

The way I approach therapy is rooted in four values: clarity, connection, inclusivity, and creativity. These values shape how I show up in our work together and the kind of therapeutic relationship I hope to create — one grounded in curiosity, authenticity, and respect for your experience.

They also reflect what I believe therapy can make room for: understanding yourself more deeply, connecting with what matters to you, exploring new possibilities, and finding ways of being that feel authentically your own.

  • Clarity

    Understanding ourselves can bring a new perspective to the ways we think, feel, relate, and move through the world. I invite curiosity and reflection to help you explore patterns, make sense of your experiences, and develop a deeper understanding of yourself and what matters to you.

  • Connection

    Connection is at the heart of therapy. I value creating an authentic therapeutic relationship in which you can feel seen, understood, and supported as you explore your relationship with yourself and others. Our work can also invite greater awareness of the connection between your thoughts, emotions, body, and experiences.

  • Inclusivity

    I believe therapy should be grounded in cultural humility and an awareness of how identity, relationships, communities, and larger systems shape our experiences. I am committed to LGBTQ+ affirming and anti-racist care and welcome conversations about identity, culture, power, privilege, discrimination, and belonging when meaningful to you.

  • Creativity

    I believe creativity is something we all carry, whether or not we consider ourselves artistic. It invites curiosity, play, self-expression, problem-solving, and new ways of seeing ourselves and our experiences. In therapy, creativity can open space for exploration and help us discover possibilities that words alone may not always reach.