Paula Hasenauer, Pmhnp-Bc

My name is Paula Hasenauer, and I am a board-certified Pediatric, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) focusing on children, adolescents and young adults from the ages of 2-25 years old. As a pediatric psychiatric nurse practitioner, my work encompasses a broad spectrum of mental health services that includes the diagnosis, treatment, and management of various mental health conditions and includes the use of both psychopharmacology and psychotherapy.

My educational background includes a bachelor's degree in psychology and a bachelor's degree in science and nursing, both of which I received from Rutgers University. I have a Family Nurse Practitioner master’s degree from Widener University and a post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from the University of New Hampshire.

I have worked both in family medicine and pediatric primary care for over 11years and although I loved my adult patients, I have always had a passion to work in pediatrics. Over the years I have treated children and adolescents with mental health conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, phobias, PTSD, autism, and OCD. However, as a primary care provider, my scope of practice for diagnosing and treating other psychiatric conditions such as bipolar, eating disorders, conduct disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders was limited. I would have to refer them to pediatric psychiatry in which there were very few providers available, and those that did specialize in pediatrics, had long wait times to schedule an appointment.

Seeing this lack of resources and knowing the long-term negative effects lack of care can have on patients and their families, I decided to obtain my Post-Graduate Degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

I believe early mental health care is essential as it lays the foundation for emotional, social, and cognitive growth.

My approach to providing care is:

To provide compassionate, comprehensive, and evidenced-based mental health care to children, adolescents, teens, and young adults ages 2 to 25 years old.

To provide a collaborative approach that involves not only the child or adolescent, but also their families and other support systems. By integrating therapy, community support, medication management, and psychoeducation, we can strive to create a holistic plan of care that enhances the overall quality of life for patients.

To empower patients and their families by understanding the unique needs of each individual and by promoting emotional well-being and healthy development.

The first appointment is a comprehensive 90-minute psychiatric elevation that involves patient history, current concerns and testing. A follow-up appointment is made to discuss results and to develop a personalized treatment plan which may include medication management. Ongoing follow-up appointments are important to ensure that the patient's progress is monitored, and any needed changes to treatment are made. Additionally, Talk Therapy, Psychoeducation and Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBCT) are forms of therapy often incorporated into psychiatric appointments. Incorporating the basic fundamentals of these therapies into your child's appointments will help them identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop coping strategies, and set achievable goals.