PRICE — At the end of October, Jessica Garner, nurse practitioner, opened Ridgeline Terrace Psychiatry and Wellness, a practice in west Price that provides a wide range of medical services to all ages, with a specialized service of psychiatric care.
Garner has worked as a nurse in the community for about 10 years and recently returned to school to receive a dual graduate degree, becoming a family nurse practitioner as well as studying psychiatric care. She received her degree from Samford University in Alabama.
“I’ve worked in a lot of different areas as a nurse, but I really just love patient care,” Garner said, explaining that she loves mental health but didn’t want to limit her practice to just that. “I love being able to treat all the other elements. When I see an individual, I want them to be able to come in and see me and me completely take care of them.”
Garner can treat patients with anything a general practice typically offers; she treats basic coughs and colds, women’s health, diabetes, medication management and more. On the psychiatric side of things, she can diagnose and medicate mental illness, as well as provide therapy and other needed resources.
She expressed that she loves getting to know her patients and helping them work through things that have changed the course of their lives. Her approach to care is to sit down with patients and really take the time needed to understand the situation and problems at hand.
“I want to be a listening ear and offer support and guidance, however that looks,” Garner said. “People need to be seen and heard. I want to sit down and meet the patient where they are at.”
Garner recognized that although there are some services already available, there is always more demand in Price and the surrounding rural areas. She hopes that by branching off and starting a new practice, more people will be able to get the care that they need without having to travel over the mountain.
“People like being able to sit down with somebody and conduct therapy instead of doing telehealth,” Garner said. “Being able to offer those services locally is a big deal.”
With the addition of her new practice, Garner hopes to help break down the stigma that surrounds mental health. The topic is a lot more open than it used to be, but there is still a bit of a cloud around it. She expressed concerns that sometimes people may feel weak-minded if they seek care, but she believes the opposite. When it comes to seeking help with mental health, Garner advises everyone to “just do it.”
“Don’t be afraid to take the first step,” she said. “If I’m not the right person for you, let me guide you to who is. Don’t walk away from it.”
Garner feels strongly that patients need to be seeing someone that they connect with, and while she strives to create a comfortable and welcoming environment for everyone, she acknowledges that sometimes it’s not a good fit. Despite this, she urges patients to at least start the path of getting help, and she will help them find someone who may be better suited to their particular needs.
Garner has loved helping change patients’ lives and says that the moments when her patients’ “light turns on” are what make it all worth it for her.
“I could treat diabetes for years and not notice a lot of change. But when someone’s mental health is changed and they actually feel like they can live and not just survive, there’s no better reward for me,” Garner said. Even though sometimes it takes a while to get to that point, the end result is what drives Garner to continue working hard for her patients.
At the end of the day, she hopes that what everyone can take from her services is the assurance that “you matter.”
Right now, she is the only provider in her clinic, but she hopes to add on and expand her team in the future. For now, she wants to make sure she takes on a manageable load so she can give the highest quality care to all her patients.
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with Garner, you can visit her website, psychiatryandwellness.org or call the office at 435-299-7083.
Ridgeline Terrace Psychiatry and Wellness is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 7 a.m. to noon. The office is located at 250 N Fairgrounds Rd., Suite 3. You may also see signs for Pinnacle Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, which rents space from Ridgeline Terrace.
