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.Read More
          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.

          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.

          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/