Nicole Phelps (she/her), LCSW

Welcome! I am Nicole, the founder of Connect Thrive Institute. This is a place where I support others in the exploration and cultivation of their creative selves. I use storytelling and improvisation as a catalyst for strengthening the relationships we have with ourselves, the people we care about and our communities. From a very early age stories have been a very impactful and important part of my life. As a child, I remember listening intently to my mother’s stories about growing up in Central America, as a young teen sitting in a circle with a group of friends sharing about our lives, and later performing stories for audiences to explore other worlds, ideas and possibilities.

I grew up in a bilingual home, moving to the United States at the age of five from South America. I studied theater, improvisation, and storytelling in New York City with many talented teachers including Mike Nichols, Paul Sills and George Morrison. Their teachings have shaped and inspired me to continually offer opportunities for others in creating story practices they can build and cultivate through play, movement and joyful experimentation. I am so glad you are here!