Dr. Sandra Nichols, PhD, APRN is originally from Monticello, Florida but currently lives in Norfolk, Virginia where her husband is stationed with the US Navy.  Previously a college writing professor, Dr. Nichols has practiced as a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner for the last 14 years.  Dr Nichols joined the Graduate Nursing faculty at Old Dominion University in January 2022 and currently serves as the Program Director for the Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner program at ODU.  Also, Dr. Nichols practices as an outpatient PMHNP in her own practice in Virginia Beach, VA as well as an inpatient psychiatric unit in Arizona (through telemedicine).  She and her husband along with their two Australian Shepherds plan to make the Hampton Roads area their permanent home when her husband retires in March 2023 from a 40-year career in the US Navy.  Her practice interests include addiction medicine, grief therapy for death and non-death losses, helping military personnel and families, PTSD, and using cognitive behavior therapy and dialectic behavior therapy to treat anxiety and depression issues.  She graduated from Florida State University with a BSN, MN in Nursing Education, a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education, and a post-master’s certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner.  Subsequently, she graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a post-master’s certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and from West Virginia University’s School of Medicine with a Certificate in Emergency Medicine.  She is an active member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, the American Holistic Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and the International Association of Forensic Nurses.  She has served previously as a member of the Board of Directors for the Academy of Forensic Nursing and as the Nurse Practitioner representative on the Florida Board of Nursing.  She is licensed and has practiced in 13 states throughout the US.