An Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner is a highly trained nurse with at least 6 years of post secondary education.  An ARNP typically begins a career as a registered nurse and then completes graduate studies focusing on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions within his or her specialty.  Following completion of this rigorous course of study, these nurses must pass a national certification exam to be eligible for licensure in their state.  Although details vary from state to state, all 50 states allow ARNPs to write prescriptions and ARNPs are able to bill insurance companies for the services they provide.

I am a board certified psych mental health nurse practitioner with prescriptive authority.  I believe that mental health challenges have biological, psychological, and social underpinnings that can be addressed through therapy and medication together.  In my practice, I focus on pharmacological interventions to address mood and anxiety disorders, but can also provide some brief, Positive Psychology based therapy to identify client strengths and treatment goals in conjunction with medication management.  I draw from seven years of clinical experience working with adults struggling with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and ADHD.  I hold a Masters of Nursing with Honors from the University of Washington and am active in several professional organizations.  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family, salsa dancing, cooking, and am studying Spanish and German.

I currently am an in network provider for Premera, Lifewise, Regence Blue Shield, Healthcare Management Administrators, and Asuris Northwest Health.  I have signed a contract with Group Health, with a projected active date of October 1st, 2012.  Please be sure to call your insurance provider to verify that services provided by me will be covered.  Additionally, I frequently see clients who are out of network and will provide you with the appropriate paperwork for getting reimbursed by your insurer for payments for services.