Your Journey to Profound Healing Begins Here

At Beyond the Badge Counseling and Wellness, we understand that true healing from trauma often requires more than just talking. You've likely tried traditional therapy, invested time and energy, and yet, a persistent feeling of being stuck or overwhelmed remains. You’ve reached a point where past efforts haven't delivered the lasting change you deserve.

Our mission is to guide you beyond those limits. We specialize in working with individuals like you—military personnel, first responders, veterans, healthcare workers, and anyone grappling with deep-seated trauma—who are ready for a different, more effective path to recovery. We're here to help you not just cope, but to release the patterns of trauma from your nervous system and create a new, felt experience of peace, strength, and genuine well-being.

Who We Help: Finding Your Way Back to Yourself

You’re a high-achiever, a protector, a caregiver—someone who has faced immense challenges. Yet, the cumulative weight of those experiences can take a toll, silently impacting your daily life. We've created a specialized sanctuary for those ready to reclaim their lives.

For Our Military, First Responders, and Veterans:

You’ve dedicated yourselves to service, often witnessing or experiencing events that leave indelible marks. The stress, the hypervigilance, the emotional numbness—these aren't weaknesses, but natural responses to extraordinary circumstances. We understand the unique culture and challenges you face, and we offer a space where your experiences are honored, and your healing is prioritized. We help you move beyond the constant "on-guard" state, allowing your nervous system to finally rest and reset.

For Our Healthcare Workers:

The relentless demands, the emotional toll of caring for others, and the repeated exposure to crisis can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. You're constantly giving, but who is caring for you? We provide the support you need to process the profound impacts of your work, restore your energy, and reconnect with your resilience, ensuring you can continue your vital work without sacrificing your own well-being.

For Anyone Who Has Experienced Trauma Throughout Their Lives:

Trauma isn't limited to specific professions; it's a human experience that can profoundly shape our lives. Whether it's complex childhood trauma, a significant life event, or ongoing stressors, these experiences can leave you feeling disconnected, anxious, or unable to fully engage with life. If you've felt stuck, despite your best efforts, and are seeking a pathway to truly release the grip of past pain, you’ve found a partner in healing. We help you process what traditional methods couldn't touch, leading to a deeper sense of self and freedom.

Ready to explore a new path to healing?

Why Beyond the Badge is Different: Your Breakthrough Starts Here

You’ve likely invested significant time and resources into therapy, only to find that while it helps, it doesn't quite get to the root of the problem. You might feel like you're talking about your trauma, but not truly processing and releasing it. This is precisely where Beyond the Badge excels.

When Traditional Talk Therapy Isn't Enough:

Many conventional therapies primarily engage the cognitive brain. While helpful for understanding, they often fall short in addressing the deep, implicit memories and patterns stored in the nervous system and body. This is why you might understand your trauma intellectually but still feel its effects daily.

Our Unique Approach: Working with Your Nervous System:

We utilize advanced, evidence-based trauma therapies designed to go beyond words. Our methods focus on healing your nervous system directly, creating new felt experiences that allow for the organic release of old trauma patterns. This isn't just about coping; it's about rewiring your brain and body for lasting change. You won't just talk about your past; you'll learn to actively process and integrate it, leading to a profound shift in how you feel, react, and experience the world.

Release the "Stuck" Feeling:

Move past cycles of anxiety, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.

Gain New Felt Experiences:

Discover a sense of calm, safety, and empowerment that you haven't been able to achieve before.

Reclaim Your Life:

Experience genuine progress, leading to better relationships, improved focus, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Our Specialized Approach: The Science of Lasting Change

We don't just offer therapy; we offer a meticulously crafted path to resilience. Our approach integrates cutting-edge, trauma-informed modalities that are specifically chosen for their effectiveness in resolving deep-seated trauma where other methods have failed. We focus on:

  • Understanding Your Unique System: Every individual's trauma experience is unique. We tailor our approach to your specific needs, pace, and comfort level.

  • Body-Centered Processing: Harnessing the body’s innate capacity for healing, we guide you through techniques that help process and release stored traumatic stress without needing to constantly re-live or re-tell your story.

  • Empowering Self-Regulation: You'll gain practical tools and insights to manage triggers, regulate intense emotions, and build a stronger, more resilient internal foundation.

  • Creating New Neural Pathways: Through guided experiences, we help your brain and body learn new ways of responding to stress, fostering a sense of safety and control.

Our goal is not just to alleviate symptoms, but to help you build a life where you feel connected, capable, and truly free from the echoes of the past.

Meet Your Guide: Nicole Pingel, Founder & Lead Counselor

Hello, I'm Nicole Pingel, I’m a licensed trauma‑informed counselor serving individuals who have been through more than what words can reach. Over years of working with military, first responders, veterans, healthcare workers, and others carrying heavy stories, I’ve come to believe that real healing requires more than talk.

When traditional therapy stops working — when you feel stuck, when your nervous system is holding onto what your mind already tried to let go — that’s where I step in. My approach is rooted in the mind–body connection. Together we’ll help your system unwind habitual stress, release trauma patterns, and create new felt experiences of safety, regulation, and resilience.

I’m licensed in RI, NY, MO, CT, MA, and SC, so I can support people across states (virtually). My first priority is that you feel safe, heard, and understood from day one. I believe in co‑creating the journey with you — honoring your strengths, your pace, and your unique inner wisdom.

If you’ve done the inner work, searched for progress, and feel like something still holds you back — you don’t have to stay stuck. Reach out, and let’s find a path home for your nervous system.

Wherever You Are, We Can Help

We are committed to providing accessible, high-quality trauma-informed care. We are licensed to provide therapy virtually across multiple states, bringing specialized support directly to you.

We proudly serve clients in:

  • Rhode Island (RI)

  • New York (NY)

  • Missouri (MO)

  • Connecticut (CT)

  • South Carolina (SC)

No matter where you are in these states, you can access the transformative healing of Beyond the Badge Counseling and Wellness from the comfort and privacy of your own space.

Ready for a Different Kind of Healing? Your Breakthrough Awaits.

You've searched for answers, you've tried different paths, and now you're here. If you're tired of feeling stuck, if you're ready to move beyond the limitations of traditional therapy, and if you're seeking a profound, lasting shift in your relationship with trauma, then Beyond the Badge Counseling and Wellness is ready for you.

Take the courageous step towards a life redefined by resilience, peace, and genuine well-being.

It's time for real progress.

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