Our Virginia Beach mental health provider team offers compassionate, trauma‑informed care tailored to individuals, military and veteran families, and LGBTQIA+ communities throughout Hampton Roads. Each provider brings unique expertise in therapy, psychiatric medication management, and inclusive mental health support, ensuring every client feels heard, supported, and empowered. Whether you’re interested in our student program or seeking to schedule an appointment, our team is here to help you take the next step toward emotional wellness.
Meet Our Virginia Beach Mental Health Providers
Our Practice Owners

Recognizing significant gaps in mental health services, Michelle pursued advanced training in psychiatric care at Old Dominion University, earning her PMHNP credential. She now provides medication management for children, adolescents, and adults ages five and older, with a specialized focus on veterans, active-duty military members, and military families. Her clinical approach is collaborative, trauma-informed, and grounded in evidence-based practice, with an emphasis on thoughtful and individualized treatment planning.
In addition to her clinical work, Michelle is passionate about supporting the future of the mental health profession. She brings over a year of experience leading and developing PMHNP student training programs, providing structured supervision, mentorship, and hands-on learning opportunities. As a clinician and practice owner, Michelle is committed to fostering a practice culture rooted in quality care, education, and long-term impact.

Before entering clinical residency, Nicole spent four years in higher education as a curriculum developer and psychology adjunct instructor. She specialized in designing evidence-based curricula, teaching psychological principles, and supporting diverse learning needs. During this time, she helped develop an ethical Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program that emphasized client autonomy, dignity, and individualized care. Along with personal experiences, this work deepened her understanding of learning, behavior, and neurodevelopmental differences, perspectives that continue to inform her neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approach today. These experiences also strengthened her ability to translate complex psychological concepts into practical, real-world strategies that clients can apply outside of session.
Nicole practices from an integrative, relational, mechanism-based, and neurodiversity-affirming framework. Rather than adhering rigidly to a single therapeutic model, she tailors therapy to each individual's unique experiences, strengths, goals, and circumstances. Her work is patient-led and context-driven, focusing on understanding the underlying factors contributing to distress while helping clients develop meaningful, sustainable change. She integrates cognitive, behavioral, attachment-based, acceptance-based, and mindfulness-informed interventions, selecting strategies based on the individual's needs rather than a predetermined treatment protocol. Depending on what a client is experiencing, she draws from a variety of evidence-based approaches to support growth, self-understanding, and improved quality of life.
Nicole specializes in working with adults experiencing anxiety, trauma-related concerns, neurodivergence, relationship challenges, identity exploration, life transitions, and interpersonal difficulties. She is particularly passionate about supporting ADHD and autistic individuals in understanding how their unique nervous systems interact with the demands of daily life, relationships, work, and self-concept. Her approach emphasizes self-awareness, self-acceptance, and practical skills that can be applied beyond the therapy room.
She is also known for providing kink-aware, sex-positive, and LGBTQIA+-affirming care. Nicole is deeply committed to creating a therapeutic environment where clients can explore all aspects of themselves without fear of judgment. She has experience working with military members, alternative relationship structures, and individuals within kink and BDSM communities, providing a space that prioritizes authenticity, safety, and respect.
Clients often describe Nicole as warm, direct, insightful, and collaborative. She believes therapy should be both reflective and practical, balancing deeper exploration with actionable strategies that support lasting change. Her goal is to help clients better understand themselves, navigate challenges with greater confidence, and build lives that align with their values and goals. In addition to her clinical work, Nicole assists in the development of the practice's student training program, supporting mentorship and educational initiatives for future mental health professionals. As a practice owner, she remains committed to building a practice grounded in inclusivity, education, innovation, and high-quality care for the communities she serves.
Practice Clinicians — Therapy & Medication Management


Our Path to Serenity PMHNP Student Interns

graduate with her master's degree in late 2026. She brings a strong background in emergency
and trauma nursing, where she cared for patients during some of the most vulnerable and
high-stress moments of their lives. Known for remaining calm in chaos, her experience in
fast-paced emergency settings deepened her passion for mental health care and strengthened
her understanding of the connection between physical and emotional well-being.
After years of thriving in the unpredictability of emergency medicine, transitioning into psychiatry
felt like a surprisingly natural progression, just with fewer trauma alerts and more conversations
that truly matter. Her clinical interests include trauma-informed care, anxiety and mood
disorders, PTSD, ADHD, and healthcare worker burnout and stress. She provides thoughtful,
patient-centered medication management in a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment
where individuals feel heard, respected, and comfortable being themselves.
Darlene values building strong therapeutic relationships grounded in empathy, trust, and
authenticity. Outside of clinical practice, she values personal growth, self-awareness, and
finding humor and lightness whenever possible. She strives to create a space where people feel
safe enough to be honest, imperfect, and completely themselves.


These experiences helped shape his passion for psychiatric mental health and his goal of creating a space where patients feel safe, supported, and genuinely heard without judgment. As a future PMHNP, he is especially passionate about working with pediatrics, the LGBTQIA+ community, ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety and depression, medical weight management, postpartum mental health, burnout, and supporting parents navigating the emotional challenges that can come with having a baby in the NICU. He also provides a sex positive, affirming, and judgment free space to discuss relationship challenges, intimacy, sexual wellness concerns, and diverse relationship dynamics. He believes mental health care should feel approachable, down to earth, and human. Outside of healthcare, he enjoys spending time with his 3 pups, including 1 goldendoodle and 2 yorkies, who completely run the household.
Practice Support Team

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and brings a genuine passion for helping people feel comfortable and confident as they navigate their care. Isabella assists patients with scheduling, questions about services, and general office coordination, always striving to ensure clear communication and a positive experience. She values connection and approachability and welcomes patients to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Training Future Providers — Student Program
We believe in investing in the future of mental health care. Our student program provides emerging clinicians with meaningful clinical experience, close supervision, and mentorship from licensed providers. This program allows us to contribute to the profession while maintaining a strong standard of care for the individuals and families we serve.
Help shape the future of mental health care—apply to our student program today.
Join Our Team of Professionals
At Path to Serenity Mental Health, PLLC, we’re always looking for skilled, compassionate clinicians to join our growing practice. Experienced therapists and PMHNPs will find a collaborative, supportive environment where they can focus on delivering high-quality care, mentor emerging providers, and contribute to a values-driven, inclusive practice.
If you’re passionate about client-centered care and professional growth, we’d love to hear from you.