Dr. Nicely received her B.A. in general psychology from Baylor University in 1974 and her PhD in clinical psychology from University of Memphis in 1980. She completed her graduate internship training with the VA medical centers in Memphis, TN and in Pittsburg, PA. She has lived and worked in the Hendersonville, NC area since 1979. She had a full-time private practice for about 22 years. She provided guidance and support to hundreds of people experiencing a wide range of life challenges. She aided families and individuals cope effectively with challenges such as depression, anxiety, marital issues, childhood trauma, parenting-child relationships, integration of spiritual openings, and strengthening recovery. She also provided psychological evaluations including intelligence testing, personality evaluations, and neuropsychological evaluations.

Dr. Nicely has been a residential trainer for week-long seminars at the Monroe Institute in Faber, Virginia since 1993.