Meet Desiree Thompson of North Coast Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Thompson

Desiree, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I lost my dad in 2021 after he had a long battle with ill health. As I was working through my grief it became clear to me that his untreated substance abuse and mental illness were the true root of his problems. This changed the trajectory of my entire Nursing career and I decided to focus my skills and talent on helping people like my dad.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to achieving my goals has not been smooth. As a woman who is neurodivergent navigating corporate culture has been difficult – to say the least. I also find that healthcare now days is treated and run more like a business rather than as a service that everyone deserves and that has never sat right with my heart.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At North Coast Wellness I provide psychiatric medication management. What does that mean? As a psychiatric nurse practitioner I diagnose and treat psychiatric and mental illnesses. A large part of that is with medication. As a psych nurse practitioner I function much like a Psychiatrist but my training has been in Nursing rather than in medicine. In my private practice I am able to see patients on the weekends and other hours by arrangement via telehealth so patients can be in the comfort of their own home when we meet. I currently don’t have a waiting list either and as I’m sure your readers know getting into see a psych medication provider in the Grand Rapids area is taking 8 weeks or more depending where you go.

What matters most to you?
Patients. Patients are what matter most to me. As a small solo practice I’m able to really focus on my patients and their needs. There isn’t a giant corporation that is in the middle of the patient and I. I passionately believe that all humans deserve access to mental health so I do accept most major insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, but I also have a sliding scale or private pay options as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nc-wellness.org