Misty Steffen

My name is Misty, and I am a triple board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Certified Nurse-Midwife. I completed my PMHNP post-masters certificate at the University of California, San Francisco, my FNP post-masters certificate at Sonoma State University, and my MSN in Women's Health Care and Midwifery at the University of New Mexico. I also undertook doctoral work in prenatal and perinatal psychology with an emphasis on trauma repair at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.

In practice, I have served 13 years as a Family Nurse Practitioner, 25 years as a Certified Nurse-Midwife, and have spent over 15 years mentoring fellow healthcare practitioners. Along the way I have directed a licensed birth center, cared for underserved families through Planned Parenthood, supported high-risk pregnancies through in-home visits, and provided full-scope family practice throughout the Bay Area.

These days, my focus is outpatient psychiatric care for clients ages 12 through 64. I enjoy working with teens and young, college-aged transitional youth, as well as women and teens navigating female hormone struggles, perinatal struggles, ADHD, autism/neurodivergence, bipolar 2, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. I do not prefer to work with eating disorders or substance use disorders.

I am proud to serve clients of all genders and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. My areas of expertise include psychiatric assessment, medication management, psychopharmacology, perinatal mental health, and crisis intervention. I draw on Motivational Interviewing along with brief, solution-oriented and trauma-informed care, and I provide support for new diagnoses, complex case management, IEP and 504 accommodations, and family education.

My approach is warm, empathic, and direct, and I honor the whole person by blending conventional and holistic perspectives to support your unique goals.

What defines my practice most is genuine partnership, meeting each client with authentic warmth, profound respect, and true curiosity about who they are as individuals. I recognize each person as complete, shaped by their relationships, personal narrative, and circumstances, never reduced to merely a diagnostic label.

Holding triple board certification across Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Certified Nurse-Midwife credentials, my clinical perspective offers unusual breadth for outpatient psychiatric work. I work with individuals ranging from age 6 through 65, providing flexible hybrid options combining telehealth and in-person appointments to accommodate your particular circumstances. My foundation involves comprehensive psychiatric assessments, attentive medication oversight, and considered psychopharmacology application, integrated with solution-focused, trauma-informed methods that remain efficient while maintaining depth.

My background spanning family medicine, women's health, and midwifery revealed firsthand how deeply connected mind and body genuinely are, granting me particular understanding of perinatal mental health and the emotional significance surrounding major life transitions.

Communication style remains fundamental to my approach. I strive for directness and clarity alongside genuine empathy, wanting you to experience yourself as an authentic collaborator in your treatment from our very first meeting. We'll develop a plan collaboratively, establish meaningful objectives, and regularly review progress as circumstances evolve. I provide education for both patients and families, crisis support, and careful navigation through new diagnoses and complex situations, ensuring nobody faces difficult decisions in isolation.

I proudly serve LGBTQIA+ clients and bring substantial experience supporting neurodivergent and twice-exceptional individuals.

Your very first visit may feel a little nerve-wracking, so my top priority is helping you feel safe and settled from the very moment we begin. Whether we connect through telehealth or meet in person within my flexible hybrid practice, I want you to feel genuinely welcomed, heard, and respected as a whole individual, not merely a list of symptoms.

We'll use this first visit to get acquainted. I'll carry out a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, taking real time to understand your present concerns, your personal and medical background, and what has brought you to seek care right now. Given my experience across psychiatric care, family practice, women's health, and midwifery, I naturally consider how your emotional wellbeing, physical health, relationships, and life transitions all intersect.

Picture this first meeting as an easygoing conversation rather than a formal interview. My communication style is warm, empathetic, and refreshingly straightforward, and I welcome any questions you may have along the way. If medication could support your goals, we'll openly discuss the options, benefits, and considerations involved in psychopharmacology so that you can make truly well-informed decisions. I blend brief, solution-focused and trauma-informed approaches with careful medication management, moving at whatever pace feels most comfortable to you.

I offer education and guidance for new diagnoses and, when useful, support with IEP, 504, and accommodations for school or work. Your family is always welcome to take part in this process whenever it benefits your care.

As an LGBTQIA+ affirming provider with substantial experience supporting neurodivergent and twice-exceptional clients, I especially enjoy working alongside growth-minded individuals who are keen to pursue real change. You can expect to leave your very first visit feeling understood and hopeful, with greater clarity and the beginnings of a genuine, trusting partnership.