Dr. Nikolas Cirillo

I am a licensed clinical psychologist at Old Town Psychology. I provide individual therapy for adults across the lifespan. I also conduct psychological and cognitive assessments.

I specialize in several areas, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance use, men’s issues, and relational dynamics. I tend to use a psychodynamic framework for therapy, which involves viewing our current experiences as manifestations of long-standing patterns in how we interact with others and ourselves. Furthermore, I bolster this perspective with a behaviorist approach, which observes how these patterns are reinforced or discouraged. I use these perspectives in therapy by helping clients identify patterns from the past, understand the components of them in the present, and learn from them to create a better future. Lastly, I employ Mindfulness to connect clients with their emotions. If life is a journey, our emotions serve as a tool to navigate it, guiding us toward answers to our questions. These techniques form the basis of therapy for me, and I integrate multiple other modalities and theories depending on the person and problem.

Therapy can be strange, confusing, and uncomfortable. My objective is to offer a nonjudgmental, safe, and engaging environment to learn about yourself. I am passionate about visual learning and using metaphors to discuss psychological topics, often employing them to facilitate problem-focused conversation.

I earned my Ph.D. at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I completed my Predoctoral Internship at Clark Community Mental Health as part of the National Psychology Training Consortium, and my Postdoctoral Fellowship in Serious Mental Illness at the Washington DC Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to my internship, I trained at Yale School of Medicine’s Child Study Center, Syracuse University’s counseling center, and various outpatient community mental health centers.

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Publications and presentations

Cirillo, N. (August, 2024). Paresthesia due to Peripheral Neuropathy: Anxiety and Wellbeing. Poster presented at the 132nd Seattle, WA. Annual American Psychological Association Convention.

Cirillo, N. (May, 2024). The Propranolol Problem: Mixed Results in the Treatment of Trauma-Related Disorders. Poster presented at the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Miami, FL.

Cirillo, N. (August, 2022). Cholecystokinin and Opioid Use Disorder. Poster presented at the 130th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. Minneapolis, MN.

Cirillo, N., Gagliardi, G. (August, 2021). Ketamine Sedation and Schizophrenia in the African American Community. Poster presented at the 129th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. Virtual.

Hawk, K. MD, MHS, Grau, L. E. PhD, Fiellin, D. A. MD, Chawarski, M. PhD, O’Connor, P. MD, Cirillo, N. M.S., Breen, C. MS3, D’Onofrio, G. MD, MS. (December, 2020). Journal of Academic Emergency Medicine. “A Qualitative Study of Emergency Department Patients Who Survive an Opioid Overdose: Perspectives on Treatment and Unmet Needs. doi: 10.1111/acem.14197.

Cirillo, N. (August, 2020). Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: A Promising Psychopharmacological Intervention for PTSD. Poster presented at the 128th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. Virtual.

Cirillo, N., Mull, A., Zaldivar, V. (August, 2020). Taurine and Its Impact on Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. Poster presented at the 128th Annual American Psychological Association Convention.

Mull, A., Cirillo, N., Spigelman, L. (May, 2020) The Impact of Ginkgo Biloba on Mental Illness and Psychotropic Medications. Poster presented at the 2020 Annual ASCP meeting, Miami, FL.

Cirillo, N., DeLucia, C., Rukert, S. (August, 2019). Needle Fixation: A Conditioned Response. Poster presented at the 127th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. Chicago, IL.

Boston, N. C., Bennett, R., Cirillo, N., Solow, A., Fornalski, N., Stripling, A. M. (November, 2019) Depression Severity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Older Adults. Innovation in Aging 3 (Supplement 1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igz038.596.

Boston, N., Bennet, R., Solow, A., Cirillo, N., Tran, V. (August, 2019). Anxiety Severity and Associated Effects on Executive Functioning Performance. Poster presented at the 127th Annual American Psychological Association Convention, Chicago, IL.

Boston, N., Bennet, R., Solow, A., Cirillo, N., Tran, V. (August, 2019). Comparison of Hippocampal Atrophy Between Alcohol Abusers and Non-abusers. Poster presented at the 127th Annual American Psychological Association Convention, Chicago, IL.

Cirillo, N., Stripling, A., Lewis, J. (August, 2018). Traditional Peyote Use and Its Impact on Native American Depressive Symptoms. Poster Presented at the 126th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. San Francisco, CA.

Cirillo, N., DeLucia, C., Pratt, K., Larson, O. (August, 2018). Client Perceptions of Music-Based Treatment and Their Associations with Depression Symptoms. Poster Presented at the 126th Annual American Psychological Association Convention. San Francisco, CA.

Cirillo, N. (April, 2017). Needle Fixation and its Role in Intravenous Heroin Addiction. Oral Presentation at Loyola University Maryland Undergraduate Research Colloquium. Baltimore, MD.

Cirillo, N. (March, 2017). Needle Fixation and its Role in Intravenous Heroin Addiction. Oral Presentation at Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Psychology Conference. Bel Air, MD.

Cirillo, N., Irrgang, M., Collins, C., Phillips, Z. (April, 2016). Perceptions of Gender Incongruent Exercise in College Gym Settings. Poster Presented at Loyola University Maryland Research Methods Colloquium. Baltimore, MD.