Introduction
Aloha, I am Kristen a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I work full time as a Psych NP at Outreach Medical Group in beautiful Hawaii. You can see my full professional bio in the ABOUT US tab.
"Tell Me Something About Yourself"
In the bio you will learn I have four degrees, but two of my favorite courses at my first university set the tone for my career. I was a double major in social work and psychology. I sat in Neuropsychology on the first day of class and listened as the professor stated: "this will be the hardest course you have, you will not get an A, and some of you will drop the major." I thought, ok prof challenge accepted. Neuropsychology was in-fact my favorite course because I loved learning about our beautiful brains, how they work, and how physiology ties to psychiatry.
My other favorite course was bowling. Yes, I took a bowling course. I did not really improve my bowling skills which are undeniably sub-par, but this course forced me to take a break from academics to relax and have fun. This break in my week refreshed me and taught me the importance of balance in life. I realized my brain worked better with some physical activity and social engagement. This was my first time thinking about a holistic path to wellness.
What's Next
Through the weekly blog/vlog posts on Mental Wellness and All Things Brain Related you will get hints about my journey in mental healthcare but mostly learn more about mental wellness, the brain, mental health, patient-centered care, and integrated holistic care. I will challenges ideas, viewpoints, and norms about how we view mental wellness. I will share information, techniques, stories, and opinions. I encourage you to comment in support or challenge my ideas because that is how we grow together. I will offer written posts and a video summary on the same topic to reach audiences who learn/engage differently. Please continue to my next blog What is Mental Wellness? where I introduce mental wellness and disrupt the medical model of the mental health - mental illness continuum.
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