What Can a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Do? 7 Key Roles

Britt Ritchie
Sep 16
8 min read

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If you’re here, chances are you’ve been wondering who can actually help you feel better.

Maybe your primary care doctor brushed off your anxiety as “just stress.”

Maybe you’ve been on a waitlist for a psychiatrist in Colorado for what feels like forever.

Or maybe you’re tired of therapy alone and want a provider who can look at the whole picture—from your hormones and vitamin levels to your relationships and stress load.

That’s where a psychiatric nurse practitioner comes in.

We bridge the gap between psychiatry and therapy, blending medical expertise, prescribing authority, therapy skills, and holistic care. And if you’re in Colorado, psychiatric nurse practitioners are often easier to access than psychiatrists. We’re licensed to practice independently in this state, which means you don’t need physician oversight to get comprehensive psychiatric care. Apart from a few hospital-based procedures, we can provide the full range of psychiatric services—diagnosing, prescribing, ordering labs, and creating treatment plans tailored to you.

One important distinction is in how we’re trained. Psychiatrists are educated under the medical model, which is highly valuable for understanding illness and disease. Psychiatric nurse practitioners, on the other hand, are trained under a holistic model—one that looks not only at symptoms but also at the bigger picture: your lifestyle, stress load, hormones, nutrition, and relationships. Both perspectives are valuable—they’re simply different.

To save you time, here are the key points and takeaways up front—so you can quickly see what a psychiatric nurse practitioner can do for you before we dive into the details.

Key Points + Takeaways

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) are licensed clinicians who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions.

We can prescribe medication, order labs, interpret tests, provide therapy, and create integrative treatment plans.

Unlike rushed appointments, boutique psychiatric care (like mine in Colorado) focuses on root causes—labs, hormones, nutrition, lifestyle—not just symptoms.

Working with a psychiatric nurse practitioner gives you medical expertise plus whole-person support—helping you move from emotional exhaustion to clarity, confidence, and energy.

If you’re in Denver or across Colorado, psychiatric nurse practitioners are often more accessible than psychiatrists and offer highly personalized care.

Feeling Stuck and Exhausted?

Maybe you’ve been struggling with anxiety that won’t turn off, no matter how many yoga classes you try.

Or depression that leaves you drained, even when you’re “functioning.”

Or ADHD that makes every work project take triple the time.

You’ve probably Googled your symptoms a hundred times, hoping for answers.

But what you may really need to Google is this: “What can a psychiatric nurse practitioner do?”

Because the answer might be the missing piece you’ve been looking for.

The Painful Problem: Not Getting Real Help

Here’s the truth: many women in Colorado are stuck in survival mode because they haven’t gotten the right support.

Primary care doctors often only have 10 minutes for you.

Therapists can provide emotional support, but they can’t prescribe or order labs.

So you’re left juggling symptoms, self-doubt, and late-night WebMD searches.

The Promise: Here’s the Solution

Psychiatric nurse practitioners bridge this gap.

We combine the medical expertise to prescribe and order tests with the human connection and therapeutic support you deserve.

And if you’re working with me in Denver or anywhere in Colorado, you also get boutique, integrative care designed for ambitious women who are tired of just “getting by.”

Schedule A Complimentary Consultation

Let’s break down exactly what a psychiatric nurse practitioner can do—so you can see if it’s the right fit for you.

1. Comprehensive Evaluations

When most people think of psychiatry, they imagine a quick conversation followed by a prescription slip. But a psychiatric nurse practitioner’s evaluation is far more thorough.

I don’t just ask, “Are you depressed?” and then write a script. Instead, I start by really getting to know you—the whole picture, not just the symptoms.

During a comprehensive evaluation, I:

Take a detailed medical, psychiatric, and family history – Because genetics, childhood experiences, and past traumas all shape the way your brain and body work today.

Assess lifestyle factors – Sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress aren’t side notes—they’re often root causes. For example, if you’re sleeping four hours a night while living on coffee, that’s going to show up as mood swings and anxiety.

Screen for multiple conditions – Anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and burnout often overlap. A good evaluation checks for all of them, not just the one label that seems obvious.

Look for medical conditions that mimic psychiatric symptoms – Low thyroid hormones can feel like depression. Low iron can feel like ADHD. Vitamin D deficiency can mimic anxiety. If no one checks, these issues get missed.

Think of this stage as detective work. My job is to gather clues—your story, your symptoms, your lab results—and uncover why you feel the way you do.

2. Diagnosing Mental Health Conditions

After we gather all the information, the next step is diagnosis.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners are fully trained and licensed to diagnose mental health conditions. In my practice, this often includes:

Anxiety disorders – Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, or health anxiety

Depression – From mild, nagging low mood to major depressive episodes

ADHD – Especially in women, where it often goes undiagnosed until adulthood

Bipolar disorder – Which can be misdiagnosed as depression if not carefully evaluated

Trauma-related conditions – PTSD or complex trauma that shows up as irritability, hypervigilance, or emotional numbness

Psychotic disorders - Conditions such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, which may involve hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking.

Personality disorders - Patterns of emotions and behaviors, like borderline or avoidant personality disorder, that can impact relationships, self-image, and day-to-day functioning.

If you’ve ever been brushed off with, “It’s just stress,” this is where I dig deeper. Accurate diagnosis isn’t about sticking you with a label—it’s about understanding what’s actually happening so we can finally address it.

3. Prescribing and Managing Medications

One of the biggest myths I hear is: “Do psychiatric nurse practitioners prescribe medication?”

Yes—we absolutely do. In Colorado, I prescribe medications with the same authority as a psychiatrist, because psychiatric nurse practitioners here practice independently. That means you don’t need to wait months for a psychiatrist to be available—you can get expert care more quickly, with the same level of prescribing authority and oversight of your treatment.

Starting new prescriptions – When appropriate, I’ll discuss medication options in detail, explaining how each works and what side effects to expect.

Adjusting current doses – If your current treatment isn’t working, I’ll fine-tune it with you. No one-size-fits-all dosing.

Safely tapering off medications – If you want to discontinue a medication, I’ll help you do it safely and with support.

Integrating supplements and nutraceuticals – Beyond prescriptions, I often recommend pharmaceutical-grade supplements like omega-3s, adaptogens, or mitochondrial support to target mood, focus, and energy.

The key difference? I explain your options in plain English. You’ll always know why we’re choosing something and feel empowered, not pressured.

4. Ordering and Interpreting Labs

This is one of the biggest advantages of seeing a psychiatric nurse practitioner in a boutique, integrative practice.

When your symptoms don’t add up, labs can reveal what’s really going on. I often check for:

Vitamin deficiencies – Low B12, folate, or vitamin D can cause fatigue, low mood, and poor focus.

Thyroid and hormone imbalances – Women especially experience mood shifts tied to thyroid, estrogen, and progesterone changes.

Inflammation markers – Chronic inflammation can fuel both depression and anxiety.

Genetic variations – Some people process medications differently due to genetic differences. Knowing this can save months of trial and error.

Gut-brain axis disruptions – Since 70% of your serotonin is produced in the gut, digestive health matters for mood.

Sometimes your “anxiety” isn’t just in your head—it’s in your bloodwork. By catching these overlooked issues, treatment becomes more precise, effective, and validating.

5. Providing Therapy and Coaching

Not all psychiatric nurse practitioners offer therapy, but many of us do—and I consider it a crucial part of healing.

In my practice, therapy isn’t about lying on a couch while I nod silently. It’s about equipping you with real tools to manage stress, perfectionism, and emotional overwhelm. I weave in:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – To challenge unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Mind-body techniques – Mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork to calm the nervous system.

Coaching strategies – Especially around perfectionism, burnout, and imposter syndrome.

This means you don’t have to juggle multiple providers for therapy, medication, and lifestyle support—you can get it all in one place.

6. Creating Personalized, Root-Cause Treatment Plans

If you’ve ever been handed a generic treatment plan, you know how frustrating it feels. That’s not how I work.

Your personalized plan may include:

Medication – Thoughtful, individualized prescribing.

Supplements – Evidence-based, pharmaceutical-grade support.

Lifestyle recommendations – Nutrition tweaks, movement strategies, and sleep hygiene.

Stress management tools – Breathwork, journaling, or mindfulness practices.

Therapy sessions – To address thought patterns and emotional processing.

Specialist referrals – When you need something outside my scope, I connect you to trusted providers.

The goal? To treat the whole person—not just one diagnosis on paper.

7. Offering Accessibility and Connection

Another major difference: accessibility.

Traditional psychiatry often means six-month waitlists, 15-minute med checks, and no direct communication.

As a psychiatric nurse practitioner running a boutique practice, I intentionally keep things different:

Shorter wait times – You don’t have to wait half a year to be seen.

Longer sessions – Enough time to feel heard and understood.

Direct communication – No endless portal messages or nurse lines—you get me.

Flexible scheduling – Virtual sessions make care accessible no matter where you are in Colorado.

This means you get care that feels personal, human, and connected—not rushed or transactional.

Why Choose a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in Colorado?

Independent + Accessible in Colorado – Psychiatric nurse practitioners fill an important gap in mental health care. Because we can practice independently in Colorado, we’re often more accessible than psychiatrists—without compromising the quality or scope of care.

Integrative and Holistic Options – Many of us specialize in root-cause psychiatry that looks at labs, hormones, and nutrition.

Whole-Person Approach – Care goes beyond medications to include lifestyle, supplements, and therapy.

Focused on Relationships – Smaller caseloads mean more attention, more time, and a true partnership.

Who Should See a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner?

You might benefit from seeing a psychiatric nurse practitioner if you are:

Struggling with anxiety, depression, or ADHD
Burned out from perfectionism and overachievement
Feeling emotionally exhausted and disconnected
Tired of generic advice or quick fixes
Wanting both medical treatment and holistic options

If this sounds like you, you’re exactly the kind of client I serve at Mind Alchemy Mental Health here in Colorado.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

Final Thoughts: What Can a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Do for You?

So—what can a psychiatric nurse practitioner do?

We bring the science of psychiatry together with the art of whole-person care. In Colorado, we can offer nearly everything a psychiatrist does—with the added flexibility, accessibility, and integrative approach that many women are looking for today.

And here in Denver, I do it through boutique, integrative psychiatry designed for ambitious women who are tired of holding it all together alone.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally get the support you need—this is it.

How I Can Help

If what you’ve read here resonates with you, I want you to know something important: you don’t have to keep pushing through on empty.

So many ambitious women wait until they’ve hit a breaking point before reaching out for help. But you don’t have to wait until you’re completely burned out, disconnected, or overwhelmed to start feeling better. Support is available now—and it can be tailored to you.

At Mind Alchemy Mental Health, I offer boutique, integrative psychiatric care designed to uncover the why behind your symptoms, not just cover them up. Whether it’s anxiety that won’t turn off, ADHD that makes focus feel impossible, or depression that quietly drains your energy, I work with you to restore balance from the inside out.

Here’s where you can start:

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. When you’re ready, I’ll help you take the next step toward calm, clarity, and confidence—so you can feel like yourself again.

The hardest part of seeing a psychiatric provider is: