“I do not judge and strongly believe mental health is a continuum and that each person is at a different level.”
What was your path to becoming a therapist?
I started as a healthcare technician at Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. My experiences working with children, adolescents, and adults inspired me to go to nursing school and eventually become a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner. I am licensed to treat children, adolescents, and adult clients with mental health problems.
What should someone know about working with you?
I prefer to work with adults, ages 18 and above. I take time to listen to my clients and formulate treatment plans that work for them. I do not judge and strongly believe mental health is a continuum and that each person is at a different level. My goal is to make my clients better than they were before coming to see me.
What do you do to continue learning and building competencies as a provider?
I constantly review UpToDate to keep abreast on current issues and treatment modalities. I also attend CME seminars at least once a month to keep up with current literature, research, and treatments as they become available.
How do your core values shape your approach to therapy?
I understand that everyone has a point of view and cultural background that plays a part in who they are. I am also aware that different cultures interpret problems differently. I take time to learn each client’s background and what is culturally acceptable to ensure their preferences and belief systems are taken into consideration.
What are you most excited about within the evolving mental health landscape?
I am excited that telehealth has reduced the barriers we had when trying to treat clients from different places. In the past, lack of transportation, bad weather, and other logistics were some of the obstacles in the way of care. With telehealth, our clients don’t have to leave their homes to be seen.
Have you done any research-based work that you found particularly exciting? How does it inform your practice today?
In the past, I did a project on cash-only care and was surprised to see that, due to the high cost of health insurance, some clients are willing to pay cash for medical and mental health visits. This may be okay but only if there are no complications or hospitalizations.
“My goal is to make my clients better than they were before coming to see me.”