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A Passion to Help
Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: 2019/06 - June
For Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Rachel B. Kelley, the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau is a natural site to open her practice.
She’s often asked what sets her apart from other mental health providers. Basically, her training has focused on the ability to accurately diagnose mental health disorders and prescribe psychotropic medications to treat
those conditions.
“I was surprised how far people had to travel to find specialized psychiatric treatment, and good mental health care” she says. “It’s so different from when I had my practice in Naples, Florida. There, I treated people in both Naples and Southwest Florida, people who were just a few minutes away. I visited Florida Gulf Coast University once a week to ensure that those college students received good psychiatric and mental health care.”
That “good mental health care” is what Kelley brings to this corner of Western North Carolina. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, she’s able to conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations; develop individualized treatment plans, offer counseling and psychotherapy, prescribe psychotropic medications, and titrate those medications on an ongoing basis. Each patient plan is different, and she will not stop until the desired effect is achieved.
All of these abilities are the product of years of study and graduation from The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, allowing her to offer treatment for a vast portfolio of conditions. It is also noteworthy that she holds a National Board Certification in her specialty medical field.
“I can treat any variety of psychiatric or mental illnesses,” Kelley says. “I have specialized in anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar illness, mood disorders, ADD/ADHD, sleep problems, eating disorders, addictions, and issues of grief and loss. My patients range in age from 13 to 88, and they come from all walks of life.”
If that sounds daunting, she sure doesn’t show it.
“I love this community and genuinely love to help people,” she says. “I believe in what I do, I am passionate about what I do, and I know I can help people with issues that prevent them from experiencing the best quality of life possible.”
Now accepting new patients. Her office is located at 209 North Fourth Street (The Upper Level) in Highlands. For those unable to use the stairs, Kelley has made other arrangements to accommodate those needs. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call (828) 526-3241.
