Hi! I am a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) based in Illinois. I received my Masters in Nursing degree from University of St. Francis in Joliet Illinois at the same time I received my post-masters degree as a Family Nurse practitioner (FNP-BC) and have been in practice as an FNP for over 11 years. I went back to school 3 years ago to obtain a degree as a PMHNP from the University of St. Francis too. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, my role is to address the biological. In the specialty of psychiatry, this means conducting a psychiatric assessment and identifying the neurochemical (the molecules and ions that regulate the functioning of your nervous system) contributors to the manifestation of your psychiatric symptoms. Many factors can influence your neurochemistry, ranging from co-morbid medical conditions to genetics to daily sunlight exposure. I have been helping children, adolescents, and adults improve their mental health and become a better version of themselves.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The purpose of our appointments will be to evaluate your psychiatric symptoms as a means to assess your response to treatment. In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions and then move on to discuss what challenges brought you to seek treatment. Our appointments are typically completed within 30 minutes, but can be longer if needed. Initial appointments take 45 to 60 minutes, allotting time for a more thorough assessment of your symptoms and psychiatric history. This will help me set the ground for your treatment plan.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

Before becoming a nurse practitioner, I was a medical nurse for 12 years. I worked as a nurse in many different settings such as emergency room, medical/surgical/oncology floor, skilled nursing facility, pain management, and home health care. I remain rooted in the nursing profession, centered on respecting human dignity, being attuned to the needs of my patients, and advocating for my patient. My experience in psychiatry began in family practice even though I did experience some brief exposure in the emergency room. In my family nurse practitioner role, I gained experience in the treatment and management of psychotic, bipolar spectrum, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and substance use disorders. With the onset of COVID, my family practice patients were struggling with mental health and wait time for seeing a psychiatrist were more than 6 months. When it comes to mental health, a lot came happen in 6 months, this is when I decided to return to school to get additional training in psychiatry as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Completing this additional schooling has allowed me to focus and safely treat patients to improve their quality of life that had been affected by their mental health. In my years of experience, I have helped many find what the root cause of their challenges and together we will develop a treatment plan with a positive measurable result. I believe that working together and having a good working relationship is the most important aspect of success in a person's care.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I love working with individuals from all age groups. I specialize in mood disorders (anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder) and their subtypes as well as behavioral disorders. My goal is to help them feel better about themselves and help them have healthy relationships with others.

About Mandi Troli