Elevate Mental Wellness

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     Kristina Flanagan is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner known for her dedication to delivering high-quality, patient-centered mental health care. With over 7 years of experience in the field, Kristina has developed a reputation for her compassionate approach and her expertise in treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions for individuals across the lifespan.

Kristina earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Allen College. She continued her education at Allen College where she earned a Master of Science in Nursing and became a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Throughout her career, Kristina has worked in various clinical settings, including private practices, hospital outpatient psychiatric clinic, the emergency room, and as a member of the inpatient psychiatric hospital consultation team.

Kristina is known for her ability to build strong therapeutic relationships with her patients, providing them with a safe space to explore their mental health challenges. Her patient centered approach combines clinical excellence with a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological factors influencing her patients’ well-being.

Outside of her professional life, Kristina enjoys spending time with her four kiddos (Rylee, Maddox, Ryker, and Mavrick), husband Mike, and family. Kristina enjoys traveling, learning, teaching, music, and watching/playing sports.

Kristina’s career is marked by her unwavering commitment to improving mental health care and her ability to connect with and support her patients.

     Rachel is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who is ready to listen, educate, and guide you in improving your overall mental health. I see adults (ages 18+) and utilize evidence-based treatments which may include medication management, behavioral and supportive psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes.

 I started my career in healthcare as a teen, working as a nursing assistant in long-term care. With that experience, I learned that I loved connecting with and helping others. I went on to receive my bachelor’s degree in nursing from Clarke University and then worked as a registered nurse in cardiology, intensive care, and mental health settings. While working as a nurse, I returned to school at Allen College to further my education in mental health. In 2017, I obtained my master’s degree in nursing and became a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. I am board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

 Following graduation, I moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to complete a year-long fellowship in psychiatry which allowed me to gain experience in a variety of mental health settings. Since then, I have worked primarily in an outpatient community mental health and hold a special interest in providing care for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders & obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, maternal mental health disorders, and LGBTQ+ patients.

 Outside of work, I really enjoy spending time with family and friends, being outside with my dogs, being a nerd and listening to psychiatry podcasts, watching reality TV, and organizing my spaces.

     Jen is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and a Registered play Therapist with over 25 years of experience in the mental health field working in various capacities. She sees clients ages 5 and up. Jen emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection in the healing process and incorporates neuroscience into sessions in an easy to learn and playful way. In addition to conventional therapy, Jen utilizes mindfulness, therapeutic movement, guided imagery and experimental modalities including sand tray and play therapy. She works with clients who experience anxiety, depression, life transitions, attachment and adoptions issues throughout lifespan and concerns related to high functioning autism.

Jen lives with her canine partner in adventure, Aiko. They enjoy car rides and bird watching together. Jen loves old architecture, vintage wears and connecting to history. Jen practices yoga and enjoys engaging in warm-hearted and sometimes deep conversations over coffee. Jen also collects rocks and house plants.

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     Sandra Griffith is a Licensed Mental Counselor with extensive experience in the areas of anxiety, depression, attention issues, adoption, family/dynamics/relationships, trauma, abuse, autism, how physical and mental health affect each other, the value and difficulty of relationships, and navigating life changes. With a compassionate person-centered approach, she partners with clients of all ages and stages in life in identifying their strengths and weaknesses and areas and helps them gain perspective for events in the past and present. Sandra believes strongly that in a safe space and with support and guidance, clients are able to explore and better understand issues in their past and present lives, which enables them to open up to more intentional healing and growth.

Sandra uses a blend of approaches to adjust to her client’s needs, including active listening, cognitive-behavioral strategies to address real-life situations, art therapy, play therapy, sand-tray, and a developmental perspective for building understanding of how past experiences and choices affect patterns over the lifespan. She believes that respect, empathy, and authenticity are the basis for all relationships, and key to the trust that helps with self-acceptance and healing. She has worked extensively with children, teenagers, young and older adults in a variety of settings, believes that each client is the expert in their own life, and supports each in more clearly identifying how their daily choices align with their goals. Sandy values the courage clients show in making the choice to address difficult issues and supports them in continuing to develop the resilience to meet challenges in their lives.

Sandra has lifelong interests in photography, drawing, music, reading, writing and travel. Her experiences living and traveling within different cultures and areas of the world have been an expression of her curiosity and desire to learn, and have deepened her respect for the experiences and knowledge of others.

     I earned my Masters of Divinity in Marriage and Family Therapy from Amridge University with the initial intention of becoming a chaplain for the US Navy. I have been practicing independently since the fall of 2019.

I am a married father of 2 children (a boy and girl respectively) and I know personally how terrifyingly wonderful being a parent is. I am a veteran of the US Navy, with 12 years of service between active duty and reserves, and I was able to visit Japan and Korea, as well as do a 10 month deployment to Djibouti, Africa.

My focus in the counseling world is in improving self-awareness and intentionality, in order to increase confidence and feelings of self-control.

I am eclectic in my approach, drawing from CBT, DBT, IFS, and ACT, to name a few. I will do my best to meet you where you are at and help you strengthen the relationship you have with yourself, so that all of your other relationships are strengthened.

     Faith Woodsmall is our front desk associate. Helping you with medication refills, scheduling appointments and much more. Outside of Elevate Mental Wellness, Faith has a degree in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Faith is currently working towards attaining her master’s in social work.

Faith spends lots of time with her family, including her 17 nieces and nephews. Faith loves to adventure with friends, often finding new places to hike in the area or new places to grub. Faith loves a good book, her cat Penelope Jack and caring for her plants. Faith has an extensive collection of rocks and crystals.

     Aiko is a co-therapist with Jen. She is sweet and has a calm presence. She is often out in the reception area and likes to greet people when they come in the door. Aiko loves treats, checking in on her friends at the office and having her ears scratched.

     Ruger is a co-therapist with Penny. He is easygoing and has a docile personality. He likes to help people feel comfortable in therapy. Ruger loves his stuffie and relaxing on his fluffy dog bed.

     Bennett is a therapy dog in training and co-therapist with Penny. He is friendly and eager to learn. Bennett loves his ball, cuddling and playing with his brother, Ruger.