About

Växa means “to grow” – and that’s the point of this practice.

I’m Michelle Dreiling, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who blends evidence-based medication management with holistic care, nervous system awareness, and real-life practicality.

I started my own practice because I’ve spent a decade in healthcare watching how much people struggle once they leave the hospital—especially when mental health is part of the picture. Without real support, coping skills, and resilience, we’re asking people to climb mountains with no gear.

My path here wasn’t linear. I’ve worked ICU, forensic nursing, electrophysiology, and child psychiatry. I’ve cared for people on the worst days of their lives—violence survivors, kids in crisis, elders without a voice. I’ve also lived my own losses: my daughter’s accidental fentanyl overdose, my youngest child’s drug-resistant epilepsy, the death of my father, and my mother’s dementia diagnosis. Grief, caregiving, and sheer survival shaped me more than any textbook ever could.

At my lowest, I questioned whether I could help anyone when I was still healing myself. With time I realized the opposite was true—lived experience deepens compassion, sharpens intuition, and cuts through the noise. It’s why I became a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and why I built Växa Mental Health.

I didn’t want a clinic driven by metrics and profit margins. I wanted a place that feels calm, safe, and human. A place where people aren’t turned away because their insurance pays poorly or their income is tight. I know what it feels like to try to get help and hit a wall, even while “fully insured.”

So yes, I’m building a sustainable practice—because I have a family too—but not at the cost of my integrity. Växa exists because our stories matter, and they deserve a space to be held with honesty and respect.

To stay true to that mission, I’m offering a limited sliding-scale option for clients who need it most.

Thank you for every kind word, every referral, and every bit of support. This practice is the beginning of the future I’ve been working toward.

—Michelle