Firefly Collaborative Mental Health
Inclusive psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in Richmond and greater Virginia.
About:
Hi! I'm glad you're here. I'm Margaret (she/her), the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner behind Firefly Collaborative Mental Health. My mission is to provide compassionate and supportive psychiatric care to historically underserved, marginalized, and misunderstood, populations. I specialize in caring for autistic and other neurodivergent folks, the LGBTQIA population, and child and adolescent psychiatry. I started this practice to provide mental health care the way I believe it should be: personal, accessible, less rushed, never corporate or cookie-cutter. Many of my patients have had negative experiences with psychiatric care, feeling dismissed, unheard, or invalidated. My promise is to listen to you, believe you, respect your lived experience, and center your values, priorities, and treatment goals at each visit.
Offerings:
Trauma-informed, neurodiversity affirming, LGBTQ+ affirming care. In-person and telehealth psychiatric care for children through adults age 65. Prescription and management of psychiatric medications when indicated. Supportive psychotherapy with a DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) focus. Treatment for a wide variety of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, psychotic and perceptual disorders, and more. Individualized treatment, flexible scheduling, longer appointment times, and timely communication. A promise to provide mental health care the way it is meant to be practiced.
About me:
I have been a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) since 2017, and prior to that, I worked as a psychiatric RN starting in 2013. I earned both my Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University, where I also serve as adjunct faculty for the PMHNP program. Over the years, I have cared for diverse patient populations in a variety of settings, including acute inpatient psychiatric units for children and adults, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), eating disorder treatment, corrections, and traditional outpatient care. In my practice, my goal is to center each patient's lived experience, values, goals, and priorities. The majority of my patients describe feeling unheard or dismissed by past psychiatric providers. Unfortunately, in mental health care, it is common for the practitioner to be overly centered in the treatment process, often single-handedly determining the care plan. I strive to partner with each patient, focusing on developing inner strength, resilience, and the confidence to manage life's inevitable challenges. I take a conservative and collaborative approach to prescribing medications, with an emphasis on de-prescribing (i.e., cleaning up unsafe or excessive medication regimens) and minimizing polypharmacy. My goal is to conduct a thorough psychiatric evaluation to identify the underlying condition, rather than treating nonspecific symptoms with an endless stream of medications, which unfortunately happens all too often. My philosophy can be summed up as "skills, not pills," meaning that medications are meant to assist individuals on their journey of self-empowerment—they can make the journey smoother but are not the destination. Originally from Cambridge, MA, I moved to Virginia to live in an intentional community for what was supposed to be a gap year, which turned into two. I then attended college and obtained my first Bachelor's in French and Francophone studies at Mills College in Oakland, CA, before returning to Virginia to begin my journey toward becoming an NP. I have three daughters, a spouse who works in the Richmond City Fire Department, and a cockatiel named Nico.
Insurance:
Cigna Anthem BCBS Aetna United Optum Oscar Oxford Sentara Health Plus (coming soon)
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a good fit for Firefly Collaborative Mental Health?
Most likely! However, as a solo-practitioner, I do not provide 24/7 call, so individuals with frequent mental health crises or more acute psychiatric needs (frequent hospitalizations, recurrent suicide attempts, untreated bipolar) are better served by a larger practice that provides 24/7 call and more support infrastructure in place.
Do you provide 24/7 crisis support?
No. I strive to respond to all patient communication quickly and be as available as possible, but I am not often available for immediate psychiatric emergencies. For this reason, if your mental health needs are more acute, you will be better served by a larger practice with more support infrastructure in place and 24/7 call.
What medications do you prescribe?
With a focus on safety, efficacy, and tolerability, I can prescribe antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and sedative-hypnotics. I abide by all FDA and DEA regulations in prescribing. If controlled substances are indicated, we have a Controlled Substance Agreement that outlines our precautions and requirements for the safe and appropriate use of these medications.
Do you take insurance?
Absolutely. Mental health care must be accesible to all. I am currently in-network with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem BCBS, United, Oxford, Optum, Oscar, Setara (in process) and others down the road.
Do you do telehealth or in-person care?
Both! I feel strongly about the value of in-person care to foster a more authentic connection and rapport, especially when working with children and adolescents. My office is located in Richmond's West End in the Balance RVA Wellness-Based Coworking Space. I do provide telehealth as well, which plays an important role of making mental healthcare more accessible for individuals who cannot access in-person care.
What is a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced-practice nurses who begin as registered nurses and pursue education at the Master's or Doctoral level. After passing board exams, NPs are trained to evaluate, diagnose, prescribe medications, perform procedures, and interpret bloodwork, among other tasks. While some NPs require physician supervision, I practice autonomously but deeply value the expertise of psychiatrists and other physicians, seeking consultation when needed.
One advantage of NP care is that, as nurses first, we often spend up to 12 hours caring for patients, developing rapport, and managing acute situations. As a nurse, my priority was always to advocate for patients, since oftentimes, we are the only ones doing so. My years as an RN have been invaluable to my work as an NP. This experience has helped me build empathy and develop skills to de-escalate patients with acute psychosis, mania, and aggression, deeply shaping my approach to patient care.
Do you have a supervising physician?
I have autonomous practice, meaning I have practiced long enough to no longer require physician supervision. However, that does not mean I have ceased seeking supervision and collaboration from physicians. The best patient care results from collaboration among healthcare providers of every stripe (and abbreviation) - NP, MD, DO, PA, RN, RD, OT, PT. We all bring something unique to the table, and collaboration is at the heart of caring for patients.
Why the name Firefly Collaborative Mental Health?
Fireflies represent a light in the darkness and a sense of wonder and joy even in the darkest of times. Collaborative because collaboration with each patient is the heart of our approach. We develop treatment plans collaboratively and center your voice and your personal goals and priorities during our work together. Treatments are made collaboratively after carefully reviewing the risks and benefits of different treatment options. Questions and curiosity are encouraged, and decisions are never made unilaterally.
Contact:
Phone/Text: 804-348-1708 Fax: 804-606-6915 [email protected] 10431 Patterson Ave, Richmond VAProspective Patient Form
