Dr. Olivia Reichenbacker
DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Reichenbacker is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) who has been working in psychiatry since 2013. While she has experience caring for both children and adults with all types of psychiatric illnesses, her area of passion and expertise is reproductive psychiatry. She most enjoys her time caring for those who are planning pregnancy, pregnant, or postpartum.Read More
Dr. Reichenbacker is dedicated to improving access to well-informed providers for patients in the perinatal period. She regularly presents at regional, state, national, and international conferences on the topic of reproductive mental health, maintains an adjunct faculty position at the University of Virginia, and volunteers her time providing clinical instruction to PMHNP students.
Dr. Reichenbacker earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, double majoring in Nursing and Psychology. She then went on to earn both her Master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees from the University of South Alabama, completing her doctoral residency at Westhampton Family Psychologists in Richmond, VA. Dr. Reichenbacker has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatry at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, outpatient psychiatry, and as an Assistant Professor and the PMHNP Program Coordinator at the University of Virginia’s School of Nursing.
Though sessions with Dr. Reichenbacker are focused on medication management, she prides herself in using an individualized, whole-person approach to care that addresses each client’s needs more fully. She also brings her enthusiasm for education to the clinical setting to ensure patients are better-informed and more capable partners in navigating their own care.
Dr. Shannon M Dechant
DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Dechant is a board-certified Family (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). With over a decade of experience in reproductive health, she is dedicated to providing high-quality care to her patients and strives to empower individuals through education. Read More
Dr. Dechant earned her undergraduate degree from Liberty University majoring in Nursing. She is a graduate of Radford University, where she earned her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Family Practice, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is also certified in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International (PSI).
In addition to her education, Dr. Dechant has gained valuable experience through her work as an inpatient labor and delivery nurse and as Family Nurse Practitioner in outpatient obstetrics and gynecology practices. She has taught in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at Radford University where she currently serves as the PMHNP Program Coordinator.
Dr. Dechant is committed to providing comprehensive care to women across the lifespan and is passionate about serving those in need. She believes that every patient deserves to be treated with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Jill Sykes
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Jill Sykes is a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with over 35 years of diverse nursing experience. Her journey in healthcare began with distinguished service as a Naval Officer in the Nurse Corps. Throughout her naval career, she gained expertise across various specialties such as neonatal care, pediatric hematology/oncology, orthopedics, internal medicine, general surgery, and intensive care nursing. Notably, Mrs. Sykes served as a Staff Nurse in a combat unit during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, delivering emergency medical care to deployed troops. These high-pressure experiences in challenging environments laid the groundwork for her profound interest and empathetic calling to the field of psychiatry.Read More
After earning her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University, Mrs. Sykes dedicated 20 years to serving as a Navy Nurse. Upon her retirement from military service, she transitioned to work as a home health nurse, providing care in the comfort of patients’ homes. Recognizing the growing need for mental healthcare, she pursued and secured her Master of Science in Nursing, again from Virginia Commonwealth University. Additionally, she has acquired training in child and adolescent psychiatry, having completed hundreds of practicum hours at Virginia Commonwealth University’s esteemed Virginia Treatment Center for Children.
Mrs. Sykes’ expertise not only enhances our team but also fills a gap in services offered at Brookside Psychiatric Specialists. Mrs. Sykes brings a passion for serving military families and her deep connection to military life allows her to offer more empathy and understanding for the unique challenges that present or past military service poses to the mental health of all family members. Having raised three sons, she is also dedicated to serving children and people identifying as men, and will provide care to fathers and teens struggling with mental health concerns.
With a compassionate and holistic approach to mental health, Mrs. Sykes masterfully blends her profound empathy with a pragmatic method. She aims to address mental health issues practically and in the patient’s best interest through a partnership approach, always upholding the principle that every patient deserves dignity and respect.
Elizabeth Markey
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Elizabeth is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), who has dedicated over a decade of her career to the holistic care of women.
Graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown University in Nursing, Elizabeth went on to earn her Master of Science in Nurse-Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University and a Post-Master’s PMHNP from the University of Virginia. Over the years, she has provided GYN, perinatal, and labor care to a diverse clientele, from intimate homebirths in Amish communities to high-risk care in city hospitals. Elizabeth has attended thousands of women in labor, with 700 births in Richmond alone!Read More
A recurring theme in Elizabeth’s career has been the challenging journey many face when seeking quality mental health care tailored to reproductive-age women and gender-expansive people. She has time and again seen the consequences of long waitlists and the lack of providers who are comfortable with the nuances of treating conditions related to pregnancy, lactation, infertility, or LGBTQIA communities.
Armed with her credentials as a CNM, PMHNP, and certificate in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), Elizabeth is uniquely qualified and committed to serve as the much-needed bridge in this long-standing care gap. She is not only adept at offering trauma-informed and evidence-based treatments but is deeply committed to delivering compassionate care. Her unique blend of expertise ensures that each individual feels seen, heard, and expertly cared for.
Elizabeth is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), who has dedicated over a decade of her career to the holistic care of women.
Graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown University in Nursing, Elizabeth went on to earn her Master of Science in Nurse-Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University and a Post-Master’s PMHNP from the University of Virginia. Over the years, she has provided GYN, perinatal, and labor care to a diverse clientele, from intimate homebirths in Amish communities to high-risk care in city hospitals. Elizabeth has attended thousands of women in labor, with 700 births in Richmond alone!
A recurring theme in Elizabeth’s career has been the challenging journey many face when seeking quality mental health care tailored to reproductive-age women and gender-expansive people. She has time and again seen the consequences of long waitlists and the lack of providers who are comfortable with the nuances of treating conditions related to pregnancy, lactation, infertility, or LGBTQIA communities.
Armed with her credentials as a CNM, PMHNP, and certificate in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), Elizabeth is uniquely qualified and committed to serve as the much-needed bridge in this long-standing care gap. She is not only adept at offering trauma-informed and evidence-based treatments but is deeply committed to delivering compassionate care. Her unique blend of expertise ensures that each individual feels seen, heard, and expertly cared for.
When you see a reproductive psychiatry specialist, you can feel confident that you are receiving expert care that addresses your biological, psychological, and social needs more comprehensively.
Why do I need a reproductive psychiatry specialist?
Although providers practicing reproductive psychiatry manage mental health conditions in similar ways to providers practicing general psychiatry, these specialists are uniquely educated, trained, and experienced in addressing the complicated and unique mental health needs of women and people of other genders with female reproductive hormones.
Female reproductive hormones, hormonal changes, and life experiences affect all aspects of mental health treatment, from health promotion and support during more vulnerable periods (like the postpartum period), to identify the different ways mental illnesses present in the context of these hormones, to selecting specific medications and medication management strategies that are more appropriate or effective during different hormonal stages.Read More
Non-specialists are often misinformed about the most appropriate treatment strategies for women, and patients frequently receive incomplete, ineffective, or inappropriate care. The most common misconceptions surround the use of medications during pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding). Many providers believe incorrectly that most psychiatric medications are contraindicated during these life-stages.
When you see a reproductive psychiatry specialist, you can feel confident that you are receiving expert care that addresses your biological, psychological, and social needs more comprehensively. https://thepapergown.zocdoc.com/more-women-need-access-to-reproductive-psychiatrists/
We provide mental healthcare focused on medication management combined with brief psychotherapy for the following:
- Planning pregnancy
- Mental health concerns associated with pregnancy for people of all ages, including teens.
- Mental health concerns associated with infertility, pregnancy loss, unplanned pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, high risk pregnancy, and pregnancy termination
- Trauma associated with pregnancy, labor, and delivery
- Postpartum mental health concerns
- Mental health concerns associated with breastfeeding and lactation including Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER)
- Mental health concerns associated with the transition to parenthood for all parents (biological, adoptive, etc.)
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other menstruation associated mental health concerns
- Menopause related mental health concerns
We provide mental healthcare focused on medication management combined with brief psychotherapy for the following:
- Planning pregnancy
- Mental health concerns associated with pregnancy for people of all ages, including teens.
- Mental health concerns associated with infertility, pregnancy loss, unplanned pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, high risk pregnancy, and pregnancy termination
- Trauma associated with pregnancy, labor, and delivery
- Postpartum mental health concerns
- Mental health concerns associated with breastfeeding and lactation including Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER)
- Mental health concerns associated with the transition to parenthood for all parents (biological, adoptive, etc.)
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other menstruation associated mental health concerns
- Menopause related mental health concerns
We commonly treat the following conditions in women or people with female reproductive hormones across the lifespan:
Telehealth puts highly specialized mental healthcare in your reach.
Have you ever wished you could talk with a medical professional, get the help you need, and not have to leave home? Do you live out of town or where healthcare services are limited? Maybe you have children at home that you can’t leave. Whatever the reason, telehealth makes it possible for you to get care where you are.
Our Vision: A future where those in need, no matter where they live, can easily access high-quality, specialty mental health care that not only effectively treats illness, but also promotes healthier, more fulfilling lives.
