Looking At the Full Picture of Your Mental Health

Kristen ColeHello, I’m Kristen Cole, and I’m glad you’re here. As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, I know that exploring mental health care—especially medication—can bring up a lot of questions, hopes, and concerns. I provide psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and brief psychotherapy for people ages 16 and up in a trauma-informed and collaborative space where your voice matters and your agency is respected.

My Approach to Care

My approach is grounded in curiosity, respect, and collaboration. I believe mental health care works best when you feel genuinely heard and when your lived experience is treated as an important source of wisdom. I aim to understand the full context of your life—not just symptoms or diagnoses—so we can make thoughtful decisions together about what support may help you move toward greater ease, authenticity, and wellbeing.

I work from a trauma-informed perspective, which means I pay attention to safety, trust, choice, and pacing. My goal is to create a space where we can explore your concerns without judgment, move at a pace that feels manageable, and make decisions that honor your preferences, values, and autonomy.

Medication Support Without Pressure

I see medication as one possible tool among many, not a requirement or a quick fix. When medication is helpful, I think of it as a step-stool: something that can offer enough support to make therapy, coping tools, and deeper healing feel more accessible. My goal is to create a no-pressure space where you can ask questions, talk through concerns, and explore options at a pace that feels right for you.

Inclusive and Affirming Care

I bring both lived experience and professional commitment to creating a space that is queer-affirming, body-inclusive, and respectful of neurodivergent ways of being. As a queer provider, I know how meaningful it can be to work with someone who does not require you to explain or defend core parts of who you are.

My care is Health at Every Size-informed, meaning I strive to approach health without weight stigma, shame, or assumptions about what wellbeing should look like. I also enjoy working with neurodivergent clients and aim to offer care that respects different communication styles, sensory needs, ways of processing, and paths toward healing.

Whole-Person Wellbeing

I believe mental health is shaped by much more than medication alone. Community, spirituality, therapy, movement, creativity, rest, nature, relationships, and other adjunctive supports can all play meaningful roles in healing and wellbeing. I’m interested in understanding what already supports you, what feels nourishing or grounding, and what resources might help you feel more connected to yourself and your life.

In my work, I aim to hold the bigger picture with you—honoring both clinical tools and the personal, cultural, relational, and spiritual supports that may be part of your care. My hope is to support treatment that feels integrated, sustainable, and connected to what matters most to you.

Who I Enjoy Working With

I enjoy working with people who are seeking thoughtful, collaborative support for their mental health. My practice includes care for people navigating concerns such as:

  • Depression and mood disorders
  • Anxiety and panic
  • ADHD, AuDHD, and executive functioning challenges
  • Trauma and trauma-related concerns, including PTSD and Complex PTSD
  • OCD and intrusive thoughts
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Eating disorders
  • Life transitions and stress
  • Identity exploration and LGBTQIA+ mental health

Education and Background

My path in health care and eventually to becoming a nurse practitioner began as a nursing assistant, followed by seven years as a mental health registered nurse. I earned my Master’s in Nursing from the University of South Alabama and also hold a Master’s in Biology from Baylor University, where I focused on developmental genetics. My undergraduate studies centered on psychology and writing, interests that continue to shape my curiosity about people, communication, and healing.

Outside the Office

Outside of work, you can often find me working on a craft project, reading, hiking, or spending time with my golden retriever and cat. I also try to stay rooted through community, spiritual practices, and movement—supports that help me feel grounded and remind me that wellbeing is something we tend to in everyday life.

Contact and Scheduling

To schedule an appointment, please call (503) 956-9396, email [email protected], or schedule online below. Online scheduling is available for return patients only and not all available appointments may be shown online. When scheduling online, please include a reason for your visit so your provider can serve you optimally and continue to offer an online option for scheduling.

You are welcome to write a review of my services on Google or Facebook.