Hi, my name is Jamie Sanders, I'm a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner trained in medication evaluations and management for a wide variety of mental health conditions. Generally people see me for medication evaluations and management but my role is not limited to prescribing and I am a strong proponent of the benefits of psychotherapy. My approach is very patient-centered. I am creative in integrating a variety of approaches, utilizing both medication and psychotherapeutic modalities in my work with patients. My approach to medication management is grounded in neuroscience. Before I became a psychiatric nurse practitioner I worked at Stanford University in the Department of Neurobiology in a lab that studied the neural basis of decision-making and value judgment. I transitioned to clinical work in order to utilize my education and experience more directly in a clinical rather than research setting. My use of psychotherapy is similarly tailored to each individual's needs. I draw from a number of different modalities. We may take a more goal-oriented, practical approach, like that of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, or a more psychodynamic approach looking deeper into how past experiences shape us. I am also a proponent of the benefits of nutrition and exercise for individuals of all shapes and sizes. After all, our brain is an organ and it needs the right nutrients to function best. My approach is body-positive and I believe health is how you feel, it's not a number. Balanced nutrition includes chocolate, ice cream, cheeseburgers and fries. Moving our bodies is an excellent way to support our mental health. There is evidence that physical activity increases levels of a protein that helps our neurons grow. It can (and should) help you feel better. Specialized Training: I have additional training treating gender diverse individuals and spent time at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Gender Clinic learning about some of the unique needs of folx who identify as transgender, non-binary, agender, genderqueer, genderfluid, two-spirit and other gender identities. This may or may not be relevant to our work together but it's relevant for individuals taking hormone suppression medication or gender affirming hormones because these can affect psychiatric medications and psychiatric medications can affect them. Lastly, I completed a minor in pharmacogenomics at UCSF and utilize pharmacogenomic data for some patients. These data can sometimes help identify medications more likely to be effective for an individual based on their genetics.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
My goal is for our work together to improve your quality of life, to help you gain insight and feel more like the person you strive to be. For some people this means they feel more like themselves, for others it means they feel more like the person they knew they could be. This may not always feel comfortable; it might mean you feel sad, frustrated or upset at times. These emotions can be healthy--they can help us move toward a better understanding of ourselves.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
The most common reason people see me is for medication evaluations and management. I typically incorporate both medication and psychotherapy into treatment, although I am happy to focus exclusively on either one.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
What I hear most from my patients is that I'm easy to talk to and I really listen and understand what they're going through. I also get feedback that I know a lot about the brain.