~ Veronica Johnson, PMHNP, FNP ~

As an herbalist and a naturalist, I blend my medical training as a psychiatric and family nurse practitioner with my lived experience of severe poverty and drug addiction to offer a truly holistic approach to healing. I understand firsthand the challenges of reclaiming your health, and I believe in addressing the root causes of both physical and mental health symptoms—rather than simply masking them with medication. I work with individuals who are ready to take responsibility for their healing and commit to the deep work required for lasting change.

Healing is not a passive sport; it requires active engagement. While no one can heal or fix us but ourselves, you don’t have to do it alone. In today’s world, many of us lack the connection to the wisdom of elders and the community support that once helped us guide us through life’s challenges. My role is to fill that gap—to help you navigate the current system and the early stages of your healing, offering the support and insight you need until you’re ready to take the reins and confidently navigate your own path. I understand that healing is possible, no matter how overwhelming it may seem. However, this isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about stepping into your power and being actively engaged in your healing process.

I received my Family Nurse Practitioner degree from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC, and my Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. With over 10 years of experience as a registered nurse in cardiology and ICUs, followed by work in retail clinics as an FNP, and in community mental health as a PMHNP in Asheville, Winston Salem, and Statesville, NC, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply interconnected the mind and body are. Since 2016, I have provided psychiatric services at Meadows Behavioral Health in Wickenburg, AZ, where much of my PMHNP training and experience has been focused.

My approach takes the "big picture" into account—looking at how your chronic physical conditions affect your mental health and vice versa. I consider your lifestyle choices, relationships, stress management, and connection to family, spirit, and community when guiding your care. I also specialize in safely tapering medications you no longer need, especially psychiatric drugs, while empowering you with the tools to regain control of your health and life again.

I believe, like many holistic practitioners, that our allopathic model of medicine works best in acute situations. If you're in a car accident, you want the best trauma surgeon at the local hospital, not an herbalist—at least, not yet. However, in our current healthcare system, drugs and procedures are the only tools in a doctor’s toolbox. While these are effective for acute symptoms, the problem arises when they’re used to treat chronic conditions. Most mental health issues are chronic, which is why the current model for mental health care is especially failing.

We are at a moment of reckoning in healthcare, where the old systems are no longer serving us. The answer isn’t to simply exit the system. The energy is calling us to step into our higher selves and contribute to the restoration of the planet. We heal the world by healing ourselves, and each of us has this responsibility to heal that which is collectively broken. If you’re feeling this call to uplevel, I’m here to support you—to help you reclaim your power from big pharma, the broken systems, and the societal and familial programming that no longer serves you.

~ My Story ~

Both of my parents died at a young age, victims of polypharmacy and prescription drug dependence. I was fortunate enough not to have been caught in that web myself, but as a healthcare provider, I have cared for countless individuals trapped in the current psychiatric system. Their stories often stir memories of my parents, leaving me to wonder if they’d still be here had they not been subjected to heavy-handed prescribing.

My mom’s story began when she was just 17, prescribed a highly addictive medication to treat her migraines. Only later did I discover that migraines ran in the women of our family, likely tied to hormonal changes, yet no doctor ever checked her hormone levels or even asked about her menstrual cycles. My mom passed away in 1994 at just 47 years old. At her funeral, I found a diary where she detailed her struggles. After more than 20 years of taking Soma Compound as prescribed, her kidneys were irreparably damaged, and she spent the last five years of her life on hemodialysis. It was at her funeral that I learned most people live only about five years on dialysis without a kidney transplant. Sadly, she was never a candidate for transplant due to her declining health.

My father’s journey was similarly tragic. Diagnosed with osteomalacia, his body couldn't absorb vitamin D, and he endured constant fractures. He also struggled with alcoholism. When prescribed OxyContin at an alarming dose of 240 mg a day, he no longer relied on alcohol, but the opiates eventually took his life. He died in his sleep in 2003 at 61, from hypoxemia caused by the sheer amount of opioids in his system.

Their experiences shaped how I approach health, both personally and professionally. I made it a point to teach my children to read food labels and make informed decisions about their health. And when it came to treating our family’s ailments, I turned to natural, holistic treatments, knowing firsthand the dangers of the alternative.