Nikissia Craig, LCSW

Nikissia Craig is the Founder and CEO of Whole Journey Services, where she leads a dedicated team committed to maintaining the warmth and intentionality within the practice. She works closely with her team to ensure that Whole Journey remains focused on quality over quantity, serving clients with compassion, cultural humility, and excellence.

Nikissia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and holds a Master of Social Work degree from Norfolk State University. She is also a Certified Life Coach, a Certified Adoption Therapist through the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), a Certified Clinical Supervisor, and a Level I Reiki Master. In addition, she has held formal certifications in trauma and compassion fatigue, which continue to shape her client-centered, integrative approach.

Throughout her clinical career, she has enjoyed supporting:

• Survivors of trauma and painful life experiences
• Fellow helping professionals and leaders
• Families seeking to deepen emotional connection and heal relational wounds

A Second Career Rooted in Storytelling and Social Impact

Mental health is Nikissia’s second career. Her professional journey began by exploring law and journalism, where her interest in uncovering untold stories and advocating for justice first took root. At just 16, she graduated from the Junior Statesman School at Yale University, where she focused on constitutional law. She went on to earn her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating as an award-winning journalist.

Nikissia worked with NBC, ABC, and ETV before transitioning to the field of mental health. Her firsthand experience with starting over professionally gives her unique insight into life transitions and personal reinvention. During the pandemic, she merged her journalism and clinical backgrounds as a regular contributor on The Kelly Wright Show, offering mental health insights to a national audience.

Leadership in Community Mental Health

Nikissia’s passion for service has led her to support programs in:

• Mental health and trauma recovery
• Foster care and adoption
• Case management and housing
• Substance abuse
•  Domestic violence
• Community outreach, education, and crisis response

She played a key role in launching Extreme Recruitment in Eastern Virginia while working at UMFS—an innovative program that connected over 1,000 relatives with youth in foster care and later expanded statewide.

As a nonprofit-rooted clinician and business owner, Nikissia has infused Whole Journey with a strong sense of community responsibility. Under her leadership, the practice has provided:

• Free counseling services to the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia
• Crisis support following the Virginia Beach shooting in 2019
• Pro bono services to individuals and families affected by local tragedies

Whole Journey continues to donate counseling hours each year to residents across its service areas.

Commitment to Representation & Inclusive Hiring

As the daughter of a 32-year Army Veteran, Nikissia spent her formative years overseas and across the southeastern U.S. These experiences shaped her values of representation, connection, and adaptability. She understands the richness of diverse perspectives and intentionally hires team members with varied life experiences—people who may not have followed traditional paths into mental health but share a deep passion for helping others.

Nikissia and other Whole Journey team members also offer clinical supervision, consultation, workshops, and training to organizations dedicated to promoting emotional and mental wellness in their communities.

Outside the Office

In her personal life, Nikissia embraces her role as a new mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend—and proudly identifies as the “ultimate introvert.” She finds joy in quiet moments, naps, beach and lake life, yoga, concerts, live music, and brunches that center meaningful connection.