Nikki Hune, Ph.D., LMSW
Nikki Hune, Ph.D., LMSW has over a decade of experience in mental health treatment and research. She
treats a wide array of mental health conditions, with a concentration on co-occurring serious mental health
disorders and substance use disorders. Her specialties include schizophrenia and other psychosis-spectrum
disorders, suicidality, thought and mood disorders, and addictions. Dr. Hune’s research is dedicated to the
exploration of human suffering as it relates to selfhood, personal agency and intersubjective barriers to
connectedness.
Dr. Hune received her Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2013, where she worked in community mental health
programs, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She was awarded an honorarium
and a scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania and completed her Masters’ in Social Work in
2014. In Philadelphia, she worked in public health and harm reduction communities. Her public health
experience led her to complete her Ph.D. in Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies from Texas Tech
University in 2022.
Advocacy and nonprofit leadership have always been important to Dr. Hune. In 2016, she founded What
it’s Like Project, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing mental health stigma through
the arts, education, and community engagement. In 2019, Dr. Hune served as the Director for NAMI
Lubbock and became a key component in revamping mental health support programs in the community.
Dr. Hune is passionate about rescuing senior dogs. She currently lives with her best friend, Millie, a very
spoiled Labrador Retriever. She also loves to play experimental music, so don’t be surprised if you see
her roaming around the underground noise scene.
Credentials
- Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW)
Education
- Doctorate in Philosophy, Texas Tech University
- Master of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania
- Bachelor of Social Work, University of Houston-Downtown