I am Dr. Cordelia Nieketien-Tawari, a licensed Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and a Family Nurse Practitioner with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from UMASS in may 2010. With over 20 years of experience, I specialize in providing comprehensive mental healthcare through medication management and therapy services, beginning with an initial psychiatric evaluation. I have expertise in treating patients across the lifespan, from children to the elderly. I began my career as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC). While providing medical services to adolescents, and adult populations, I discovered my passion for engaging with teenagers as well as the adult populations, and realized I could offer more comprehensive services to benefit my patients. This inspired me to pursue an advanced degree as a Psychiatric nurse practitioner, allowing me to achieve my professional goals and give back to the communities I serve. I offer reasonable and competitive costs, with flexible evening and weekend hours to accommodate your schedule. I treat each client as a unique individual, earning high ratings from patients for my personalized, caring, and attentive care. I take the time to understand the important issues for both the patient and their family, before discussing and jointly developing the best treatment options.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In the first session, my clients can expect to engage in a comfortable and welcoming introduction, where we discuss the reasons that have brought them to therapy. The initial conversation focuses on understanding their current concerns, goals, and hopes for therapy. We will explore their personal history, including any relevant life events, relationships, and previous experiences with therapy and/or treatment, if applicable. This session also includes discussing the therapeutic process and what they can expect in future sessions, along with any questions they might have about therapy. We establish a collaborative relationship, emphasizing that therapy/treatment is a safe, non-judgmental space for them to express their thoughts and feelings freely. Together, we will set initial goals and outline a tentative plan for their therapeutic journey, ensuring it aligns with their needs and preferences. Additionally, I will introduce some initial coping strategies or techniques that they can start using right away. Throughout the session, I provide reassurance and support, helping them feel more at ease with the therapeutic process. By the end of the session, clients will have a clearer understanding of how therapy and/or medication management work, what to expect in our future meetings, and how we will work together to achieve their goals.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I conduct a comprehensive psychiatric assessment and evaluation, while my medication management regimen focuses on maximizing efficacy and minimizing side effects. I have experience treating a wide range of mental health disorders, including anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. I am committed to practicing with exceptional professionalism, respect, and care for all my patients.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I have extensive experience delivering mental health services via telehealth and in person at the office as a Lead Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. I deliver cost effective and personalized mental health services for a wide range of mental health disorders, including anxiety, ADHD, bipolar Disorders, depression, obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD), PTSD, psychotic disorders, Schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. I employ specialized medication treatment options tailored to each patient's needs. I foster healthy, respectful, and caring relationships with all my clients while ensuring privacy, safe, and individualized care.
About Dr. Cordelia Nieketien-Tawari, DNP
Dr. Cordelia Nieketien-Tawari, DNP offers therapy covered by UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicaid in Virginia.
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1800 Town Center Dr, Reston, VA 20190, Suite 420Appointments
Virtual & in-personMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I like to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) CBT is a type of therapy that helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. Here's how you can use it: Identify Concerns: Recognize specific issues in your daily life that are causing distress. Awareness: Become aware of your thoughts and emotions related to these concerns. Identify Negative Thoughts: Notice any negative thoughts or behaviors that occur regularly. Challenge and Reshape: Work on reshaping these negative thoughts and behaviors into more positive and constructive ones. Homework: Engage in exercises and activities assigned by your therapist to practice these new ways of thinking and behaving outside of sessions.
Motivational Interviewing
I tend to also apply Motivational Interviewing (MI) MI is a collaborative conversation style designed to strengthen your motivation and commitment to change. Here's how you can use it: Open Questions: Ask open-ended questions to explore your concerns and understand your perspective. Affirmations: Use affirmations to support your strengths and convey respect. Reflective Listening: Practice reflective listening to show that you understand and empathize with your own feelings and thoughts. Summarize: Summarize the discussion to clarify your motivations and focus on your goals. Evoking: Elicit your own reasons for change and explore your readiness, willingness, and ability to change. There times that I use both CBT and MI jointly as they can be very effective when used together, as CBT helps you identify and change negative thought patterns, while MI helps you find the motivation to make those changes.
Supportive
Supportive Therapy Supportive therapy focuses on providing emotional support, reinforcement, and encouragement to help you cope with stress and difficult situations. I use supportive therapy with: Empathy and Listening: Engage in sessions where you feel heard and understood by your therapist. To Provide Encouragement: Receive positive reinforcement and validation for your feelings and experiences. I use Problem-Solving to work with you to identify solutions to current problems and stressors. I use your strengths to help you focus on recognizing and building upon your strengths and resources. I discuss on coping skills with my patients to help you learn and practice coping strategies to manage stress and emotional distress.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation involves providing information and education about psychological topics and mental health conditions to help you better understand and manage your symptoms. Here's how you can use it: Information: Learn about your condition, symptoms, and treatment options. Understanding: Gain a deeper understanding of how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected. Management: Discover effective strategies and techniques for managing your condition. Resources: Access additional resources such as books, articles, and support groups. Self-Efficacy: Build confidence in your ability to manage your mental health.