Michelle Helms, WHNP-BC, PMH-C, PMHNP-BC
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"I want you to understand that you are not alone, you are not to blame, and with help you can get better."
Michelle (she/her/hers) is a dual-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She specializes in working with girls and women from adolescence to menopause. She carries an additional certification for perinatal mental health and mood disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Michelle has over 25 years of experience as a nurse and has been a nurse practitioner since 2012. She has a background in public health and enjoys working with a diverse patient population. |
Michelle understands that changes during a woman’s life can affect her ability to cope and heal—having compassionate support during that process can make all the difference. She is passionate about helping mothers through challenges during and after pregnancy that are so often minimized in healthcare settings. Her mission is to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and promote acceptance, paying careful attention to issues of inequality based on race, gender identity, and sexuality. She has experience working with individuals from non-traditional family structures including:
- Foster and adoptive families
- Teenage mothers
- Same-gender families
- Polyamorous families
Providing mental health care is not a one size fits all process. Michelle believes in collaborating with patients to explore their strengths and set goals to achieve improvement in mental health and overall wellbeing. She prioritizes listening – a patient who feels valued, respected, and heard will be more empowered to seek help. She sees medication as a useful part of a comprehensive treatment plan that can improve outcomes when prescribed with the whole patient (not just their symptoms) in mind.
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Genetic Testing for MedicationThe GeneSight Psychotropic test analyzes how your genes may affect your response to medications commonly prescribed to treat depression, anxiety and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight Psychotropic test provides your clinician with information about which medications may require dose adjustments, may be less likely to work for you, or may have an increased risk of side effects based on your genetic makeup.
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