Dr. Nicole Hedrick, JD, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who brings a rare and highly relevant dual background in law and psychology to her psychotherapy work with attorneys. She earned her JD from Harvard Law School and practiced law for thirteen years before transitioning into clinical psychology, giving her direct, lived experience of the intellectual demands, adversarial culture, and high-pressure environments that characterize legal practice. Dr. Hedrick completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at The George Washington University, where she received rigorous preparation in evidence-based psychotherapy and trained in a range of clinical settings serving diverse and complex populations.
Before entering psychology, Dr. Hedrick built a distinguished legal career that included service as a federal law clerk, a Skadden Fellow, an associate at a large international law firm, and, most notably, nine years as a civil rights trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice. This work required sustained performance under scrutiny, exposure to conflict and trauma, and navigation of institutional power dynamics—experiences that closely parallel the professional stressors faced by many attorneys today. Her legal background provides her with an unusually nuanced understanding of workplace stress, burnout, ethical pressure, identity concerns, and the emotional toll of practicing law.
Dr. Hedrick now specializes in providing psychotherapy to attorneys and other busy professionals, helping them address burnout, anxiety, depression, trauma, career transitions, and relationship challenges within the context of demanding professional lives. She integrates cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic approaches, and incorporates mindfulness-based practices when clinically appropriate. Because she has personally practiced law and understands its culture from the inside, Dr. Hedrick is particularly well positioned to help attorneys feel understood, respected, and supported in therapy—without the need to translate or justify their professional realities. Dr. Hedrick is the founder of Arlington Rooted Wellness LLC in Arlington, Virginia. She provides telehealth in 40+ states. Dr. Hedrick is licensed in Virginia and received Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology through the PSYPACT Commission in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Dr. Hedrick is not in network with insurance. After each therapy session, you will receive an invoice that you can submit to your insurance company to request reimbursement for an out-of-network provider. Each month, you will also receive a more detailed bill, called a “superbill,” that you can use to request reimbursement. Please contact your insurance company for more information about benefits for out-of-network providers.
My 13-year legal career gives me a deep understanding of various workplace dynamics and how they impact mental health. I have worked for the federal government, a law firm, and nonprofit organizations. This background helps me to better assist attorneys and other busy professionals with workplace stress, burnout, and other mental health issues related to a fast-paced work environment.
I specialize in providing therapy to busy professionals, members of the LGBTQIA community, and individuals from diverse populations. As a former civil rights attorney, I have a deep understanding of the role of stigma and discrimination in creating distress.
I provide compassionate care that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy with psychodynamic therapy to reduce mental health symptoms, explore the root cause of the problem, and enhance positive feelings. For clients who are interested, I weave holistic healing practices into evidence-based approaches, such as mindfulness techniques and rituals to help clients release stuck emotions.