Hi, I’m Katie! I have always had a strong interest in the human psyche, mental health, neurobiology, how the brain works and why we experience the things we do. I completed a double major in neuroscience and psychology for my undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota and then went on to complete my master’s degree in Medicine – Physician Assistant Studies at Trevecca Nazarene University. Since graduation I have worked in an IV Ketamine clinic in Minnesota, a holistically focused ketamine retreat center in Austin, and an out patient psychiatry clinic in Austin where I primarily did prescription medication management for over four years. 

Throughout my experience, I have seen conventional psychiatric treatment (prescription medications) change people’s lives, and I have also seen many people who have unfortunately not responded well to medications, and have been more difficult to treat. As someone who loves understanding how things work, I have always tried to get to the root cause of my patients' concerns, which vary widely from person to person. The primary cause of a mental health condition could be a genetic defect causing malfunctioning in a person’s neurotransmitter system (such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, gaba, glutamate, glycine, etc), causing issues with mental health to arise regardless of their external circumstances, lifestyle or behavior. For these patients medication is particularly useful, and will likely be a part of their life long treatment plan. Other root causes include: nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, gut biome dysbiosis, unprocessed trauma, on going stress or burn out,  inadequate sleep, lack of physical movement, social isolation, lack of sense of purpose and many more. While some people are lucky and have a single root cause that is the primary suspect for creating their psychological symptoms, most  peoples’ mental state is a culmination of the status and relationship between all of these things.

Throughout my years of practice I have seen the close relationship between mental, physical and spiritual health, and have become increasingly interested in treating each person as a unique whole, taking the entire system into account in order to hopefully get to the root cause(s) of the issue. The fields of health, wellness, and psychiatry are constantly evolving, with new discoveries emerging every day. As I continued to find new intriguing topics and ideas pulling for my attention, I realized that I would not have the time I needed to practice how I wanted to in my current position, and in April 2026 I founded Harmonia Integrative Psychiatry. I do not consider myself an expert in the field, but rather an ever curious and dedicated student—committed to lifelong learning and continual growth.