Education. Dr. Nicole Piland grew up in League City, TX (near Galveston). She came to Lubbock to pursue her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, followed by a Master of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She is also a graduate of Texas Tech University’s COAMFTE accredited doctoral program in Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy.  

Credentials. She has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Texas, since 1999 and has a private practice in Lubbock, TX. She is also licensed in New Mexico, offering tele-therapy services to NM residents. Her other credentials include being a state of Texas Approved Supervisor, AAMFT Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor, a Trauma and Loss Consultant through The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC - now STARR.org). She has also received training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT).  

Experience. Although, she has over 30 years of training and experience in the field of Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy, Dr. Piland strives to learn new things, every day. She has worked in a variety of non-profit mental health settings for adults and children. Currently, as a Clinical Associate with TTU-HSC, Dept. Of Pediatrics, she oversees Integrated Behavioral Health services at UMC Children’s Hospital, serving chronically ill patients and their families. As a Professor of Practice at TTU, she also serves as the Director for the Center of Family Systems Research and Intervention, including the oversight of both CMFT training clinics. Along with numerous professional presentations and publications, she has co-edited a book titled: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A roadmap for families and professionals.   

Personal. Nicole is an adult child of divorce and was thrust into the challenges of navigating blended households, recurrent family transitions, and sibling disability at a very early age. Yet, she didn't let those difficult times derail her path and pursued a career in helping others facing similar life experiences. As an adult, she has also experienced divorce and remarriage (neither a part of what she envisioned for herself) but has learned valuable lessons as a result of those experiences. She is currently a stepparent of two bonus children and is the biological mother of two. Her daughter, Katarina, age 17, happens to have Down syndrome, and has influenced Dr. Piland’s work as an educator and advocate for the intellectual and developmental disability community.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys yoga and hiking, travelling, canvas/acrylic painting, volunteering for the local Down syndrome organization (BUDS -https://budslubbock.org/), and spending time with her family.