Spotlight: Sarah O’Brien, PMHNP-BC
Zivian Health is proud to support advanced practice clinicians. In addition to providing healthcare compliance and collaboration support, we want to share the stories of the healthcare professionals we serve. Today, we spotlight Sarah O'Brien, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC.
O’Brien’s path into healthcare is defined by resilience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to mental health. From her early days inspired by a family legacy of healthcare to her recent shift toward mental health practice, O’Brien’s journey illustrates the profound impact that nurse practitioners (NPs) can have on the lives of those they serve.
Now based in Ohio, she has transformed her career from critical care to mental health, embarking on an exciting new chapter with her own practice. Read on to learn about Sarah O’Brien’s healthcare journey.
Inspired by Family
O’Brien’s journey into healthcare began early in her life. Growing up in Ohio with a family rich in medical expertise—her mother an OB nurse and women’s health nurse practitioner, and her mother-in-law a nurse—O’Brien was surrounded by role models who made caring for others a priority.
“Since I was a child, I wanted to become a nurse,” she recalls. This early inspiration guided her toward a lifelong calling in healthcare.
O’Brien started her career in critical care, a specialty that allowed her to make an immediate impact in high-stakes situations. Working in critical care provided O’Brien with invaluable experience, and her time in the field reinforced her passion for patient care.
Over two decades, O'Brien’s dedication and skills grew, and she went on to become an instructor at Ohio University’s School of Nursing in Athens, OH. Her role as an educator allowed her to shape future nurses, teaching them both the technical skills and compassionate care that had been instilled in her.
Transition to Mental Health
Like many healthcare professionals, O’Brien's experience during the Covid-19 pandemic was transformative. The intensity of critical care during Covid-19 was challenging, revealing both the vulnerabilities and strengths in the healthcare system. It was also deeply personal for O’Brien, who witnessed firsthand the mental health toll on both patients and healthcare workers alike.
“Covid kind of brought me to a point where I realized I wanted to step away from critical care,” she explained. The demands of critical care, combined with the need to assist her university during this challenging time, pushed O’Brien to re-evaluate her priorities.
In her years working in the ICU, O’Brien often encountered patients suffering from mental health crises. These experiences made a profound impact on her.
“I always had a heart for mental health,” O'Brien shared. As the pandemic shifted her perspective, she decided to pursue a new path in psychiatric mental health. Encouraged by her husband—a licensed therapist—O’Brien embraced the journey toward mental health, finding inspiration to specialize in a field that would allow her to support patients more holistically.
Building a Practice
O'Brien and her husband decided to combine their expertise to build a mental health practice together, O’Brien Counseling LLC, a venture that has added new layers of connection and purpose to her professional life.
Her husband, who had been working in outpatient mental health and virtual care, offered insight into what running a private practice would entail. Watching him build a successful practice inspired O’Brien to believe that she could do the same. “I think I could do this,” she thought, seeing how her skills could benefit the lives of those struggling with mental health issues.
The decision to work alongside her husband in mental health was also a natural progression of their shared values and commitment to community wellness. By offering combined services, O’Brien and her husband can cater to a broad spectrum of mental health needs, drawing on their respective specialties to provide patients with comprehensive care. This partnership has been a fulfilling experience, as they work together to build a practice that reflects their shared philosophy of care.
An Educator at Heart
Alongside her new practice, O’Brien continues to teach at Ohio University, a role she is deeply passionate about. Teaching allows O’Brien to share her experiences and shape future healthcare providers with the same commitment to empathy and excellence that defines her own career.
“I have a heart and a passion for it,” she said. Every year, she finds herself missing her students during the summer break, only to feel re-energized when the academic year resumes.
For O’Brien, teaching goes beyond just sharing knowledge; it’s an opportunity to form connections and nurture the next generation of nurses. Her enthusiasm for her students and dedication to their success make her role as an educator one she cherishes.
In addition to her classroom teaching, she also instructs in the university’s online RN-to-BSN program, extending her impact to nurses who are furthering their education.
A Holistic Approach to Mental Health
O’Brien’s role as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is shaped by years of experience in critical care and academia.
Her approach to mental health is informed by the understanding that holistic care can profoundly influence a patient’s journey toward wellness. She emphasizes the therapeutic relationship at the heart of mental health treatment, believing that NPs are uniquely positioned to build intimate, trust-filled relationships with their patients. “When it comes to mental health, our number one goal is to develop a therapeutic relationship,” she shared.
Through her new practice, O’Brien aims to offer patients the time and attention they need to heal, free from the pressure to see as many patients as possible.
She described her hope for creating a space where mental health care is patient-centered and paced at a rate that meets individual needs. This commitment to patient-centered care is what she believes sets nurse practitioners apart in the mental health field.
Finding Support with Zivian Health
Embarking on the journey of opening a private practice can be daunting, but O'Brien found a supportive partner in Zivian Health. Searching for a collaborative physician, a requirement in her state, the complicated process created some anxiety about her transition.
Her practice consultant eventually recommended Zivian Health, which she found to be the perfect fit — Zivian Health’s no-onboarding fee policy and discount during the credentialing period offered financial flexibility, easing her concerns as a new practitioner.
Her positive experience with Zivian Health went beyond financial assistance. When matched with a collaborating physician, she discovered that he shared her values and approach to mental health. O’Brien felt it was a “match made in heaven.”
Reflecting on her experience, O’Brien said, “I would just say thank you to Zivian Health and those that helped me through this process. Your support is greatly appreciated, more than you will probably know. For someone who is nervous about this adventure that I'm getting ready to start, I've found that Zivian Health was really supportive and seems like a great group of people to work with. I'm excited about the future of the relationship.”
Looking To the Future
As O’Brien’s practice takes shape, she envisions a future where her work in private practice complements her role as an educator. She plans to dedicate at least one full day a week to her practice and increase her availability over the summer months when she isn’t teaching. Her long-term goal is to continue evolving as both a mental health provider and an educator, helping her community and shaping the next generation of nurses.
In her own words, O’Brien sees her work as a “ministry,” a calling that keeps drawing her back year after year. Whether in the classroom or the clinic, she is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those she serves.
Her story is a testament to the vital role nurse practitioners play in healthcare and the powerful impact of following a calling that resonates with both heart and purpose.
Zivian Health Enables Compliant Collaborations for Nurse Practitioners
Zivian Health thanks Sarah O’Brien for sharing her story with us! We’re proud to be of service during an important time in her career as a nurse practitioner, and we look forward to the continued success of her new practice.
Zivian Health empowers Advanced Practice Providers by connecting them with physicians inside a secure and convenient platform to form long-term, compliant collaborations.
