Laurel Hurst
Helping my patients feel safe, seen, and heard on the path to recovery is my primary goal as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. I received my training at The Ohio State University, and I provide mental healthcare for adults and young people over age 12.
I combine very clear guidelines for medication trials with frequent follow-ups so no one gets "stuck" on a medication that is not working well or that causes intolerable side effects.
I specialize in caring for patients who want to understand and address the root causes of their mental health symptoms.
First session
In our first session, I want to learn what recovery looks like to you--what do you want to do that you're not able to do now? The initial appointment may feel like 1000 questions, but they all lead to a safe first step toward a recovery plan that we will decide upon together. In appointments, I lay out the safe options, and you decide which path you want to pursue for medication management.
Strengths
Having taken a root-cause approach to reducing symptoms from the beginning of my training as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, it's second nature to me to help patients toward recovery in as safe and natural a way as possible.
Ideal clients
I support many young professionals and young parents who strive to live their values with integrity and find their mood problems get in the way. My patients want to do better and be better, and they are often struggling to make that hope a reality. I have experience with raising a large family, changing careers in midlife, and negotiating a kinship foster situation, while trying to be a better human. I walk with patients who are in the "messy middle" of life's ups and downs.
Treatment methods
Integrative
I have been certified by the Integrative Psychiatric Institute to assess inflammatory, nutritional, and stress-related problems that contribute to mental health problems. I recommend safe and natural ways to support recovery alongside traditional medication management and psychotherapy. Prioritizing root cause assessment for patient symptoms also means I do not prescribe controlled stimulants for the treatment of ADHD or executive dysfunction and only manage benzodiazepines for tapering to discontinuation.
Trauma Informed Care
Advanced training in the Family Systems Trauma Therapy model guides my care of adolescents and parents who want to enjoy harmony in their home.
Strength-Based
Being a mental health professional is about human-to-fellow-human communication. You are the expert on your own experience. In practice, your preferences are vital to formulating and revising the treatment plan (e.g. research evidence + provider expertise + patient preference = evidence-based care). We are collaborators in your recovery. That's what I stand for.
Mind-body approach
When you feel distress in your body, the remedy is also often in your body. We don't ignore the toll that mental health diagnoses take on your physical health, and we work through sleep problems, pain, and fatigue associated with mood and trauma.
Location
Virtual sessions