A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: A Journey from Medicine to Mental Health
By Collette Gibbons, PMHNP, FNP
Growing up with two physician parents, I was surrounded by medicine. While my parents both loved their work, they were honest in the demands of the profession. From early on, they encouraged me to pursue nursing – a career where I could still make a meaningful impact, but with more room to balance family and life outside of work.
So I became a nurse. Eventually, I pursued my degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner, drawn to the relationship I could build in primary care. I loved getting to know my patients, seeing their kids grow, helping them manage chronic conditions, and being part of their everyday health journeys. But there was something I couldn’t ignore – almost every day, someone sat in front of me and opened up about their anxiety, depression, stress, trauma or grief.
And I listened because I could see how much people needed that space. I started to realize my most meaningful work wasn’t always tied to prescriptions or lab results. It was those quiet, vulnerable conversations where someone felt heard.
Then, everything shifted on a deeply personal level.
My husband and son experienced a traumatic event that changed our lives. It shook us to the core. As I tried to support them, I found myself navigating the mental health system not as a provider, but as a wife and mother. And what I saw was sobering: the gaps in care, the struggles to access support, the sheer emotional toll of it all.
That experience made the decision for me to specialize as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse practitioner (PMHNP). I wanted to bridge the gap between medical treatment and empathetic, person-centered care. But people often ask how a PMHNP is different from a therapist or psychiatrist, and the answer lies in the unique space we hold.
Therapists are incredible at guiding people through their stories and helping them build coping skills. Psychiatrists – who are medical doctors – often focus on diagnosis and medication. We do both, while also bringing the holistic, person-first approach that nursing is known for.
We look at the full picture: physical health, emotional wellbeing, trauma history, social stressors, lifestyle, and even spirituality. Our goal is to get to the root of the issue, not just treat the symptoms. As Board-Certified Nurse Practitioners, we are qualified to diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, order diagnostic tests, and collaborate with specialists and other healthcare providers. Many of us also incorporate supportive therapeutic techniques alongside medication management for a more holistic experience.
Becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner has been one of the most meaningful decisions of my life. For me, this work isn’t just about mental health. It’s about WHOLE health. It’s about seeing people fully, supporting them deeply, and holding hope for them even when they can’t yet hold it for themselves.
And honestly? I can’t imagine doing anything else.