Hello, I'm Viola.
I’m a life coach, mother of three, and former military spouse. As an overcomer of childhood emotional trauma, I know firsthand what it means to start over—and thrive. After a 27-year marriage and more than 30 years of working with children and families, I bring both deep life experience and professional training to the work I do today.
I also developed the Tree Branch Root Model.
I hold an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Social and Human Services and have dedicated my career to serving children and families in a variety of ways. I worked in several daycares, caring for children from infants through school age, and operated my own daycare for three years at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Alongside raising my own children, I have cared for many others, offering support, structure, and love.
My passion for child and youth development extended beyond the classroom and into the community. I coached my son’s AAU basketball team for seven years and dedicated 15 years to coaching with Parks and Recreation. Through these roles, I not only developed athletes but also mentored young people, teaching teamwork, resilience, and self-confidence.
Today, through Tree Branch Root Model™ and Viola Nickson Coaching and Consulting, I help families, children, and individuals rediscover their identity, heal from the past, and begin to thrive. My mission is to create spaces of growth, healing, and empowerment—helping others strengthen their roots so they can branch out and flourish.
My Story
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I experienced childhood emotional trauma at an early age, which shaped both my empathy and my lifelong desire to help others. That calling led me to spend over 30 years working with children and families-guilding, supporting, and nurturing growth during their most formative years.
As a military spouse, I became an expert in adaptibility, strength under pressure, and building in new and unfamiliar places. I’ve walked through identity loss, emotional pain, and the long road back to self love.
Through it all, I’ve learned how to reclaim my voice, rewrite my story, and find joy again- I’m here to help you do the same.
A Special Story
Tree Branch Root Work came to me from a still small voice. In 2016, while working as a school receptionist at an elementary school, I regularly encountered children who were emotionally dysregulated or in trouble for surface-level behaviors. I had a tiny potted plant at my desk, and one day, I heard that small voice say, "Use that plant." That moment shifted everything. I began using the plant as a visual — a simple, relatable tool to show students how our roots, like a plant's, determine how we grow, behave, and bloom.
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I began using the plant and a whiteboard to allow children to draw or write out their "branch issues" before they met with the administration. I became a bridge between the students and school leadership, often using my coaching background to calm the child, bring clarity, and help them return to class with a new sense of understanding. Tree Branch Root Work was birthed through this lived experience.
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Then, during the world shutdown in 2020, I took the opportunity to formally bring the Tree Branch Root Work coaching tool to life. That same year, I also earned my Associate in Applied Science degree in Social and Human Services from Wake Technical Community College. When the still voice whispers — you listen.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
252-259-4786