Makenna Francis
I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who works with adults experiencing anxiety, overwhelm, burnout, attention and executive-function difficulties, and questions related to ADHD or neurodivergence. My approach emphasizes non-medication strategies through a framework:
Understanding the unique challenges of individuals with attention deficit and my ability to navigate to clearer waters is my greatest strength as a provider.
Regulation → Attention → Flow. We focus on strengthening nervous system regulation, improving attention and emotional regulation, and translating those skills into everyday life. Depending on your individual needs, our work may include developing supportive routines, improving sleep, strengthening relationships and communication, creating environments that better support the way you function, and building practical strategies for managing daily demands. My goal is to help you make sense of what is happening, identify areas where meaningful change is possible, and develop strategies that are realistic, individualized, and sustainable.
First session
Your first session is a formal full psychiatric intake focused on understanding the bigger picture. We will explore what is currently difficult, what may be contributing to it, and what you would most like to change. We will discuss your symptoms, attention and executive functioning, stress and regulation patterns, sleep, routines, relationships, relevant history, and daily functioning. When relevant, we may also explore ADHD, autistic traits, sensory differences, masking, and patterns of burnout or overwhelm. By the end of the first session, we will begin to identify: The patterns creating the most difficulty Strengths and ways you have learned to adapt or compensate Areas where regulation, attention, or executive functioning may be contributing Your priorities and goals for our work Whether additional assessment or outside support may be helpful You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what is wrong or what you need. We start by developing a clearer picture of what is happening and where it makes sense to begin. A note about diagnosis: Diagnoses and screening tools can provide useful language for understanding patterns, but I do not view a diagnostic label as a complete or necessarily fixed description of a person. Symptoms and functioning can also be influenced by many potentially modifiable factors. I may explore autistic traits, masking, sensory differences, and patterns associated with AuDHD when relevant to understanding your experience and guiding our work. ****I do not provide formal autism diagnostic evaluations or diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder through this practice. If a comprehensive autism evaluation would be recommended, I can recommend evaluation with an appropriately qualified provider. *****Please note: No psychiatric medications are prescribed or managed through this practice. If you currently take psychiatric medication, please continue working with your existing prescribing provider.**** For more information, please visit: https://www.renovapsychiatry.com/
Strengths
I bring a curious and attentive approach to sessions. I listen closely, ask thoughtful questions, and notice connections that may not be immediately obvious. I am genuinely interested in understanding the individual rather than assuming the same explanation or strategy will fit everyone. I am also very practice-oriented. Many of the concepts and strategies I use clinically are things I actively study, practice, and experiment with in my own life. This gives me an appreciation for the difference between understanding an idea and actually incorporating it into everyday life. Most importantly, I want insight to be useful. We translate what we learn into practical changes you can actually try, evaluate, and adapt.
Ideal clients
My practice specializes in working with women with ADHD and AuDHD, including those experiencing burnout, executive-function difficulties, sensory or emotional overwhelm, and masking interested in practical, non-medication based strategies to enhance regulation and improve attention. Many of my clients appear capable and high-functioning on the outside while privately feeling scattered, exhausted, anxious, overstimulated, or as though everyday life requires far more effort than others realize. You may have spent years compensating, over-preparing, adapting to expectations, pushing through discomfort, or hiding how difficult things actually feel. Perhaps you are hesitant about medication, have tried several medications in the past, experienced unwanted side effects, or are simply looking for additional ways to support your mental health and daily functioning. You may also be doing well with your current medication regimen but want to build skills and strategies beyond medication. (If you currently take psychiatric medication, please continue working with your existing prescribing provider.) You may already identify as ADHD or AuDHD, or you may be beginning to question whether neurodivergence and masking help explain longstanding patterns in your life. Our goal is to reduce unnecessary strain and develop a way of functioning that feels more sustainable and more aligned with your individual needs.
Treatment methods
Mind-body approach
*****Please note: No psychiatric medications are prescribed or managed through this practice. If you currently take psychiatric medication, please continue working with your existing prescribing provider.**** . My work is organized around a framework I call Regulation → Attention → Flow: . Regulation: We begin by recognizing your nervous system states, emotions, physical cues, stress patterns, and daily rhythms. You learn strategies for noticing and responding to dysregulation more effectively. Attention: We look at how you direct and shift attention, initiate tasks, organize information, manage distractions, and navigate executive-function challenges. Together, we develop practical systems that fit the way you operate. . Flow: We apply those skills to everyday life, including relationships, work, routines, goals, self-concept, and values, with the goal of creating a life that feels more sustainable and intentional. . Depending on your needs, our work may incorporate mindfulness, cognitive and behavioral strategies, breathwork, movement, sensory awareness, executive-function tools, and other individualized practices. . This work is typically structured as a focused 6–12 session course of care and can complement ongoing therapy or medication management you receive from other providers. Throughout our work, I continue to assess symptoms, diagnoses, functioning, safety, and response to treatment. We also consider whether additional medical evaluation, medication evaluation, specialty care, or another level of treatment may be appropriate.
Location
Virtual sessions