(he/him)
Hello. I am a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner licensed in Florida. I have 35 years of nursing experience, mostly working with underserved populations. I am very serious about your mental health care and will do my best to help you to make sense of it. I focus on listening to what you are telling me. If you feel that you have not been heard in the past, I'm your guy. I also offer a sliding scale for private pay. Just ask.
In our first session we will start with introductions. Then I will ask what I can help you with. The patient will have the opportunity to explain their perception of why they are seeking psychiatric care. We will then complete an initial psychiatric evaluation where I gather patient history information and begin to form a collaborative plan with the patient for the best approach to help them with their issue(s). I will make every effort to ensure that the patient feels hopeful and positive, and encouraged by the end of our first session.
My greatest strengths as a provider include my lengthy nursing experience and dealing with providers as both a nurse and a patient. With 35 years in healthcare I understand the importance of patient-centered care and trauma-informed care, and provide an open, nonjudgmental environment for patients. Also listening. I have found that many people feel that they are not heard by their provider and/or do not feel like they have any control in their care. I work with people as a team member and try to help in that way.
Do any of the below statements sound familiar? I can help: "I just got out of jail or prison. What do I do now?" “Undiagnosed, but something isn’t right” “Diagnosed, but medication/treatment isn’t working” “I feel worse after seeing provider instead of better” “I don’t feel like my provider is listening to me” “I’ve been taking prescribed medication for a while with no improvement and my provider won’t make a change” “I think I’m on too much medication” “Do I even need medication” These are some of the questions that I may be able to help you get a handle on. I can help with things like depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, adjusting to life after incarceration to name a few.
I use CBT to assist patients in identifying past traumas and other experiences that have impacted their mental health, and guide them through exploring their thoughts and feelings as they work through their issues.
I use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help patients stay focused on the present and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment. It can help patients move forward through difficult emotions in order to be able to put their energy into healing instead of dwelling in the past and on the negative.
I use compassion-focused therapy (CFT) to help patients experience compassion for themselves and others.
I use culture sensitivity therapy by being aware that cultural differences and similarities between people exist without assigning them a value-positive or negative, better or worse, right or wrong.
I use eclectic therapy drawing the most relevant techniques from other evidence-based therapies together for an effective, individualized treatment plan.