Dev A Brierley PMHNP-BC, ARNP, DNP - Directory

Health care should be a partnership between patient and provider. I believe in guiding my patients towards the goal they have set for their mental health and help guide them to find an identity and a role that they decide, not what society has created for them. Psychiatric medications should be carefully prescribed with the patient aware of the risks versus benefits. At times no medication may be needed and at other times I have found that patients have said that medication saved their lives. Regardless, I am always open to having a non-judgmental conversation regarding medication that is informative rather than condescending.

Depression and anxiety can be clues to deeper issues at play or can be an indication of another co-occurring disorder. Very often individuals can end up anxious and/or depressed trying to keep up with the many varied demands of modern life. I approach mental health with a mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) approach of therapy. Mindfulness and DBT allow the patient to slow the mind down and create clear goals for mental health and motivational interviewing allows the provider and patient to clarify these goals. I love learning, and am inspired to deepen and hone my counseling skills and approaches through trainings and reading.

I am particularly interested in working with those who are suffering from bipolar disorder. Often these individuals fear that medications will crush their creativity but my philosophy is to start low and go slow. I only medicate patients to the level of which they are comfortable to improve quality of life. This allows the magic of inspiration to continue to flow while avoiding deep depressive episodes.

I have a passion for working with families. I am very pleased when other members of the family are present at appointments as they can contribute invaluable information regarding my patient’s struggles and challenges. Mental illness (and mental wellness) does/do not occur in isolation. All of the imbalances affect the family unit and the family unit affects the patient. It is important to me that through the healing of the patient that the family also heals and becomes stronger, and more connected.