Lea Croft, PMHNP-BC

I was born and raised in Oregon and have lived in Bend since 2014. I spend my time hiking, running, camping, and fly fishing with my partner, Kris, and my dog, George. My own wellness journey has exposed me to a few different Buddhist meditation practices, breath work, energy work, and somatic approaches. I have had exposure to and mentorship from a variety of Western Medicine/Psychiatric and psychologic approaches as well as alternative healers. My approach is a combination of these teachings, including a strong foundation and passion for evidence based practice. I start from a place of curiosity and acceptance, and work to help each individual overcome their obstacles to living a more fulfilling life. I focus on foundational supports, including nutritional therapies, body movement, and behavioral tools to improve one’s mental health. I then layer in nutritional testing and supplementation as well as medications to improve wellness and function. I believe medicines (in all forms) work best in conjunction with lifestyle changes. They are an aid to assist in healing, but may not be aligned with each person’s needs. I strive to support my patients to live a fully actualized life and believe this can happen best through lifestyle change alongside careful and thoughtful use of medicine when appropriate. As a Certified Functional Psychiatry Provider, I can do a deeper investigation of symptoms to determine root cause or complicating factors and help reduce the need for medications over time. This might look like exploring gut health, hormones, or sleep disorders. Getting the life and health one wants can be a journey and a series of trial and error. Traditional routes are not right for everyone, and I believe having someone willing to walk that journey with you and tailor a plan unique to your goals, needs, and values will greatly improve this experience.

My experience: I have over 17 years working in healthcare. I received my MSN from Gonzaga University in 2022, and have built a strong foundation working locally with children, teens, and adults. Prior to this, I worked in critical care, which built a strong foundation in disease processes and assessment and monitoring for these conditions. I also have multiple years working in mental health, both in a hospital setting and in community settings. I worked at St Charles for 7 years, and am familiar and have worked with many of the specialists and various healthcare systems in our local community.

As an experienced Nurse Practitioner, I am competent in evidence based practice and treatment recommendations. I use evidence to guide my practice, both in traditional approaches and in Functional Medicine approaches. I engage in supervision with a Child Psychiatrist to ensure I am being thoughtful and thorough, and also engage in a lot of continued education to ensure my training and knowledge is up to date and accurate.