Christine Farina

I'm a psychiatric nurse practitioner with a decade of experience helping patients who struggle with a multitude of mental health issues. I have two bachelor's degrees in psychology and nursing and a master's degree in psychiatric nursing. I spent the first part of my career in the hospitals and transitioned to outpatient working in a community mental health clinic, which prepared me to treat the most complex patients. I got into psychiatry because of my family and personal history of mental health and there's nothing more gratifying to me than seeing patients heal. As a proud lesbian, I also emphasize treatment for the LGBT+ community as we face unique challenges related to our identity. My style is laid-back but direct; I don't sugarcoat things, but I also think psychiatric care should come with compassion, humor, and collaboration. Check out my website at www.obsidianpsyche.com for more information about me and my practice!

I work with individuals navigating depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, identity exploration, and life transitions. I see medications as a tool in a toolbox; there is (unfortunately) no magic pill that can cure symptoms. It's a combination of medication, therapy, coping skills, and lifestyle changes. I'm not the kind of provider who will throw pills at you and say "see you in three months." I see each individual as unique and a sum of their parts, not a diagnostic checklist.

My ideal patient is someone who is tired of pretending like everything is fine when it isn't. Maybe your depression is keeping you from spending quality time with your family. Maybe your anxiety causes panic attacks every time you want to go out and have fun with your friends. Maybe you're on the verge of losing your job because you can't seem to get your time management under control or meet important deadlines. Or maybe you're just exhausted with keeping the mask on. If you feel like any of this applies to you, you're in the right place. Expect a full assessment of your needs with compassion and a high likelihood of one of my cats crashing the session.