Meet Nikquan Lewis, MS, LMFT, LPC, ST | Relationship and Sex Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikquan Lewis, MS, LMFT, LPC, ST and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikquan, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

So!! I am originally from Inglewood, CA, lived in Atlanta, GA shortly, back to Cali and then moved to Milwaukee, WI around the age of 10. This is where I lived until moving to Houston back in 2012. My background and upbringing was definitely not a black and white experience. As a child, there were periods of instability, addiction, trauma and witnessing unhealthy relationships including domestic violence. There were also times when I felt loved, safe and had a front row seat to healthy relationships that would become the blueprint of what a healthy dynamic looked like for me. 

My world changed when I learned that I was pregnant with my daughter at the age of 17. It was at this moment that I decided that motherhood meant that I had to grow up and do what I had to do to ensure that the generational dysfunction would stop with me. I moved out of the unhealthy environment that I was in, became houseless for a few months, stayed with a friend and then secured my own apartment by the time my daughter was released from the hospital. She was born with severe medical conditions so that also motivated me to get my life in order. It was these early life experiences and being a teen mom that influenced my passion for women’s health and assisting people with interrupting unhealthy patterns caused by generational dysfunction.

A few years later, I had my son.  This is when I started being serious about having a career and providing a secure and healthy lifestyle for my children. I decided to enroll at Cardinal Stritch University to complete my undergraduate degree in Psychology. I then met a great friend who is now my supportive husband. I graduated in 2010 with my BA in Psychology and we all moved to Houston In June of 2012, we made yet another major life decision and relocated to Houston, Texas.  It was at this time that I started graduate school at Our Lady of the Lake University.  I must say that I killed that program and graduated in 2015 with a MS in Family, Couples and Individual Psychotherapy as well as being a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). A couple of years later, I went back to school, attending the University of Michigan where I obtained a Certification in Sexual Health in Sex Therapy. This sex therapy certification is important to me as a black sex therapist doing my part to minimize the gap that exists as it relates to existing black sex therapists and black providers in general. 

I am now a wife and the mother of two children (ages 22 and 16) whom I teach and model how to create healthy relationships and the importance of intimacy with themselves and then others. I am also a Relationship and Sex Therapist and business owner. I own a successful private practice, Intimate Connections PLLC here in Katy, where I assist individuals and couples with issues related to intimacy with themselves and in their relationships as well as interrupting unhealthy patterns and creating new ones. 

Shortly after launching Intimate Connections, I noticed an opportunity for growth with those that I serve and even in my own marriage which inspired me to create my How Do You Want It?! Relationship and Sex Convo Cards and a Digital Guide to Intimacy to assist people with building healthy relationships and having great intimacy. So many people bring learned behavior into their relationships which may not create healthy foundations.  With these cards and guide, I have done the leg work by asking the questions and providing the psychoeducation to create healthy foundations with these products.

My background created a woman who is relentless in learning, hustling, and getting things done as well as someone who is compassionate about being an overcomer.  This also reinforces my ability to see people beyond their traumas and pasts, instead seeing their abilities to overcome. I enjoy assisting others see this in themselves and design the lives they want instead of repeating learned behaviors caused by generational dysfunction. I do this through presenting my research, direct client care, speaking engagements and by creating products that assist people to revive and revise their relationships.

What should our readers know about your business?

As a therapist, I have served clients at community clinics, nonprofit organizations, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, a group private practice and now, my own private practice. What sets me apart from others is being an educated black woman that is dual licensed (LMFT and LPC), a sex therapist, a small business owner that is also an overcomer who has ended generational dysfunction in my family and an innovator. I am most excited and proud of being a strong image and model of responsibility, healthy relationships, work ethic, effective communication and love to my children!! It’s always going to go back to interrupting generational dysfunction for me and creating healthy patterns. 

Prior to launching Intimate Connections, I prepared to be a successful practice owner by joining private practice bootcamps, investing in my forever relationship with my business coach and creating various business relationships that support my business. I decided early on to be proactive in business so that I wouldn’t have to be reactive and clean things up from a lack of knowledge. It was not easy and a huge financial investment!!! I prepared for and built my business all while working full time at a group private practice where I saw 39 clients a week, parenting and being a wife!! I felt like I was going nuts but knew the outcome would be worth it so I thugged it out. 

I overcame these challenges with prayer and the encouragement and support from my family, friends and colleagues. Throughout this process, I learned that I continue to be resilient, pressure creates diamonds and that I can do anything that I put my mind to! I want the world to know that we don’t have to end where we begin!! We are the authors of our stories! Know that Intimate Connections is committed to assisting with building healthy relationships starting with the most important relationship one has, with themselves!!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Ok! Let’s stay at the beautiful C. Baldwin hotel downtown! Let’s eat at places including Joey’s Uptown in the Galleria, the Breakfast Klub, Juliet, Thirteen, The Rouxpour, Blue Saki Sushi and if you are here during crawfish season, I’m taking you straight to District 249!! We can go to the movies at Ipic and Cut by Cinemark which has the best seats and good food. Let’s catch a party at 5015 and prospect park during the day because my night partying days are over lol. I enjoy the museum district, the art scene in 3rd ward and recently had a staycation in downtown Houston since I live in Katy which is a serious drive. I have so much more of this beautiful city to explore!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

This list is endless!! I want to give a huge shoutout to my children and husband, my extended family, professors at Cardinal Stritch University (Dr. Steele, Dr. Trost), professors at OLLU (Dr. Bohanon, Dr. Zepeda, Sue Levin, Adriana Gil-Wilkerson and my friends!!! A huge shoutout to my team at Intimate Connections PLLC (Erica, Alyssa, Nicole)!! A huge shoutout to those that I learn from as a business owner including my amazing business coach, Samara Stone!! You all attribute to the person that I am!! I am sending you the biggest THANK YOU!!

Website: https://intimateconnectionspllc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intimateconnectionspllc/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikquan-lewis-ms-lmft-lpc-0b42787a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntimateConnectionsPLLC/

Image Credits
Paper Chris with Paper Portraits