Christina Stelly

IMPORTANT: For current availability, visit https://mentalhealthpractitioners.com/ or call or text us anytime at 415-968-6515—we make it super easy! Intake forms are required before your first appointment and will be emailed to you when you book online. You can text us your info or email us at [email protected]. Please be sure to send us a picture of your insurance information and photo ID!

Hi! I'm Christina Stelly, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC — a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner based in Martinez, CA. With over 15 years of clinical experience across inpatient psychiatry, maternal health, and advanced practice, I am deeply committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based mental health care to every person I serve.

I specialize in treating schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc.

My academic background includes a Post-Certificate DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health from the University of Illinois Chicago, a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Texas Tech University, and a Master of Science in Nursing from Touro University. I also completed an intensive NP residency focused on advanced psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, and forensic psychiatry, which further strengthened my clinical expertise.

Earlier in my career, I specialized in maternal mental health, serving as a Patient Care Director for high-risk obstetric populations and contributing to perinatal mental health policy at the state and national levels. This background gives me a uniquely broad, whole-person perspective on psychiatric care across the lifespan.

My approach is grounded in trauma-informed, individualized care. I take time to fully understand your history, concerns, and goals before collaboratively building a treatment plan tailored to you. I have also served on health policy committees and presented at national nursing conferences, reflecting my commitment to psychiatric care.

My philosophy of care rests on one central conviction: every person deserves to be seen as a whole human being, never reduced to a single diagnostic label. As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with hands-on experience in inpatient psychiatry, crisis intervention, and medication management, I bring a thorough, compassionate, and evidence-based perspective to every person I have the privilege to work with.

Every partnership begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, taking time to understand not only your presenting symptoms but also your lived experiences, cultural background, personal challenges, and inherent strengths. Whether you are facing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or co-occurring substance use, I build a treatment plan that honors your unique history, values, and goals.

Medication management is a thoughtful, collaborative process. I monitor clinical outcomes closely, listen carefully to your experience, and carefully adjust treatment as your needs evolve over time. You remain an active partner in every decision we make, never a passenger in your own care.

Trauma-informed care runs throughout my practice. My background spanning high-risk obstetrics, perinatal mental health, and acute inpatient psychiatry has deepened my understanding of how trauma shapes emotional well-being across a lifetime. I meet each interaction with empathy, cultural humility, and a steady commitment to a safe, stigma-free space where lasting recovery can truly take hold.

I am also a dedicated advocate for my patients beyond the clinical setting. Mental health care does not end with the individual; it extends into the communities and systems that shape our daily lives. My goal in every encounter is to partner with you, offer clear guidance, and support your path toward greater stability, resilience, and a healthier, fuller, and more meaningful life, one collaborative and hopeful step at a time.

Your first appointment is intentionally designed to feel less like a formal clinical intake and more like an honest, relaxed conversation. I know that seeking psychiatric care takes real courage, and from the very first moment we connect, my aim is for you to feel truly welcomed, valued, and completely at ease.

We'll spend our time simply getting to know each other. I'll ask what first prompted you to seek help, explore your personal and family mental health background, review any medications you've tried before, and learn about the goals you're hoping to reach. I bring authentic curiosity and deep compassion to every first visit. There are no wrong answers here, and you're never pressured to share more than you feel genuinely ready to.

My evaluations are thorough and sincerely warm. I take a whole-person view, looking beyond your current symptoms to understand your relationships, daily patterns, cultural identity, trauma history, and lived experiences. Every detail you offer helps me see you more fully and clearly. In psychiatric care, context carries enormous weight, and your complete story becomes the foundation on which we build a genuinely personalized, thoughtful treatment plan.

By the end of our first meeting, I'll share my initial clinical impressions and, when it fits well, begin exploring possible diagnoses and recommended next steps. If medication is being considered, I'll walk you through my clinical reasoning openly and warmly welcome every question you may bring.

A trusting, collaborative relationship is the bedrock of meaningful psychiatric care, and I am fully devoted to serving as an honest, compassionate partner throughout your journey. Progress looks different for everyone, and I'll pace our work around what truly feels right for you. Your emotional safety stays my highest priority, and our time together will consistently reflect the dignity, respect, and attentive care you genuinely deserve.