PMHNP, 6 years of experience
I am dual certified as a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner as well as a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My focused role in your care would be in medication prescription and management. I have worked in various fields as a Registered Nurse and saw how mental health was closely tied to physical health, but my passion for mental health started with new moms because that was something to which I could relate.
During the initial visit, I will do a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. I will figure out your story, gather information that would help identify any mental health issues and then develop a treatment plan that is individualized and tailored to your specific needs with focus and emphasis on medication management.
I firmly believe that right diagnosis is key to right treatment, so I will take the time to listen to what you are experiencing, where you need help, and how my role can fit into that to achieve best outcome. I have experience in the residential setting, so many of the people I have treated have had symptoms so extreme that it disrupts their life so greatly that they need to put it on hold and have daily treatment for weeks or months at a time. I also am aware of many of the issues that lead up to an inpatient treatment, so I can be proactive in the outpatient setting in hopes to prevent an inpatient need.
I am the kind of person that is hesitant to follow blindly. Instead, give me a reason why and educate me on the recommendation you are making and then I will be completely on board. I expect nothing different from the people coming to me for help, so I try to take time to explain the choices I am recommending. I love working with people who are motivated to take charge of their life and be an active participant in their care. I am trained and have experience from working in the residential setting with medication management. I do not send benzodiazepines for long-term use and if I do feel it is necessary, it's short-term (less than two weeks), and on a case-by-case basis. . These are medications like Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin, or Valium. If this is something you are wanting or feel you need to continue, another provider may be able to meet your needs.
Knowledge is power, so I am going to take the time to educate you regarding your treatments, the rationale behind why I think it would beneficial for your specific case, and what to expect. I also want you to understand the bodily sensations you are experiencing with various emotional states because of the how the chemicals coursing through your body are impacting your nervous system. All of this is to empower you to control your emotions rather than emotions controlling you.
I have worked in a residential setting (inpatient) at a Christian Mental Health facility. While Christian counseling is a treatment method I provide and excel in, I am also available for patients who prefer other religious/non-religious counseling.
Having a solution focus helps you get to a growth mindset rather than the fixed mindset in which we often find ourselves stuck. I will help you look forward to the future with what you are able to do for yourself, independent of circumstances around you, to maximize outcome. It is a focus on what is in your control, the change you can elicit for yourself, rather than feeling stuck in things outside of your control.