Dr. Nicole Dingwell Frendt

LMSW CAADC CCS CSAT-S NPP

"Health administration and social work professional with expertise in population health, social capital measurement, and community-based interventions. Experienced in clinical practice, nonprofit leadership, and academic research, with a strong record of publications, teaching, and cross-cultural engagement. Skilled in evidence-based program design, organizational management, and policy implementation to improve community health outcomes."

Nicole Dingwell Frendt is the founder of GPS, a non-profit organization she established in June 2013 in Lansing, Michigan. With a deep commitment to making mental health services accessible to all, Nicole’s work started by focusing on the Greater Lansing Area but has since expanded to support high-stress social service workers, NGO volunteers, and global communities. Through innovative use of technology, supervision, and psychoeducation, she has found ways to enhance mental health support on a broader scale.

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Nicole finished her Doctoral Degree in Health Administration in 2025 and published her dissertation titled:

Deconstructing Social Capital: A Methodological and Comparative Analysis of U.S. County-Level Indices for Population Health (Publication No. 3290565313)Deconstructing Social Capital: A Methodological and Comparative Analysis of U.S. County-Level Indices for Population Health (Publication No. 3290565313) ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global · Nov 18, 2025

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Nicole’s academic focus includes international and health and mental health systems. Her research centers on population social capital measurement, and cross-cultural communication with refugees and its impact on the therapeutic alliance. She is actively engaged in projects aimed at improving mental health resources and systems across borders with strong support for culturally appropriate care and communication between patients, clients and providers.

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Nicole was also interviewed for Twisted: The Story of Larry Nassar and the Women Who Took Him Down, an Audible project by Mary Pilon and Carla Correa. Her insights contribute to the broader understanding of the intersection of mental health, trauma, and advocacy in high-profile cases.

Listen Here: