Dr. Galina Nikolskaya is a double board-certified neurologist (ABPN and ABMS in Clinical Neurophysiology) and a Cognitive Performance Optimization Coach for High-Achieving Professionals, with over 15 years of clinical experience.
In her clinical practice as a neurologist, she specializes in brain injury, oculomotor issues, headache management, seizures, movement, and balance disorders. In her private practice, she employs advanced diagnostics, including EEG, VNG, EMG/NCS, and Posturography, to support her patients.
Dr. Nikolskaya is the founder and director of the Cognitive Edge Center, through which she offers 1:1 coaching and live group programs focused on brain optimization for high-performing, busy professionals, including physicians and attorneys. Dr. Nikolskaya serves her cognitive optimization clients by combining clinical experience with her training in coaching and advanced training in multiple evidence-based psychological modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Beck Institute), Clinical Hypnosis (UC San Diego Center for Integrative Health), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Internal Family Systems, EMDR, Psychodrama, and mindfulness-based approaches.
Dr. Nikolskaya is the founder, program director, and lead facilitator at Neuro Reset Retreats. A few times per year, she offers customized in-person 3-day experiences for professionals that result in profound transformations. This fuels her passion for a holistic and thorough approach to health, longevity, and brain wellness. Drawing on her background as a former elite athlete, busy professional, and parent of two teenagers, Dr. Nikolskaya deeply understands the challenges faced by high achievers and advocates for motivated professionals, empowering them to create lasting ripples in their personal and professional lives. More information about the custom neuro reset retreats is available here: https://myneuro.care/retreats.
Dr. Nikolskaya mentors students as a Clinical Instructor at UCSD’s Free Neurology Clinic and loves contributing to the future generation of physicians.
Dr. Nikolskaya has recently completed a 2-year writing project for which she is a lead co-author of a 2-volume book on brain injury, called Brain Injuries: A Multidisciplinary, Illustrated Guide (Trial Guides, print May 2026), with attorney Nicholas Rowley and valuable contributions from a diverse group of healthcare providers. This book (Vols 1 and 2) was written to provide a road map for legal professionals and clinicians who help brain injury survivors. It is a collection of practical insights in Q&A format to help elevate the knowledge of brain injury, so that TBI survivors can be served more effectively in clinical and legal contexts. More information on the 2-volume book can be found here: https://tr.ee/vxTXuZ.
Dr. Nikolskaya consults nationally on TBI and cognitive performance optimization. She is a sought-after speaker who delivers engaging talks that bridge clinical neuroscience and practical insights. She has been a featured speaker at multiple conferences, including the TBI Med-Legal Conference in San Diego (2023-2026), the largest medical-legal TBI conference in the country, where she has had the honor of presenting on topics such as brain fitness neuro reset, PTSD, advanced TBI, neuro exam, vestibular issues, post-TBI pituitary dysfunction, headaches, and the origins of brain injury. She was a keynote speaker on a Collaborative Approach to Brain Injury Recovery at the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation’s SDBIF 2025 Symposium, and recently spoke at the National Trial Lawyers’ 2026 Summit in Florida on Brain Boost Mental Reset and The Medical Lens: Understanding Invisible Injuries in TBI. Dr. Nikolskaya will speak at the upcoming Connectionology 5th Annual Traumatic Brain Injury Seminar in Idaho in April 2026 on the practical topics of “Neurological Lessons for Peak Brain Performance” and “Neurologist’s Secrets for Cognitive Edge.”
She completed a year of training in psychedelic integration through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI), and this year has joined EverWell Clinic as an Integration Neurologist, a physician-led infusion clinic in Los Angeles, specializing in IV ketamine, where she combines her clinical, psychological, and cognitive coaching expertise to help patients with brain health, mood disorders, and trauma recovery. Info: everwellclinics.com
Dr. Nikolskaya has been involved in med-legal consulting for the past decade, serving as a neurology consulting expert and retained expert witness. She has been retained in hundreds of neurological cases across the United States. She has testified in 16 trials and 78 depositions so far, and had the honor of serving as the sole neurology expert in two landmark plaintiff verdicts: $70.6 million in Cuevas v. RAI Transport and $73.6 million in Ruckman v. Big N Deep Ag Development Company, at the time the highest personal injury verdict in Kern County history. She enjoys the challenges of integrating the medical and legal contexts and serving as an educational bridge for helping explain neurological injuries. She is also available to consult with other physicians, 1:1 or in group settings, on report writing and expert testimony. Contact email: galina@myneuro.care
