Meet Lena Lax,
MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

My path to becoming a nurse practitioner began long before I entered healthcare. I started practicing yoga and meditation at a young age and eventually became a yoga teacher. That early experience shaped the way I understand health and well-being: as something that involves the whole person, not just a diagnosis or a list of symptoms. It continues to influence how I approach my work as a clinician today.

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I began my nursing career working with adolescents experiencing significant mental health challenges, where I developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of psychiatric care and the importance of building trust. I went on to spend many years in primary care, caring for people across the lifespan and managing both physical and mental health. Along the way, I served as a medical director for multiple primary care practices, supporting both patients and clinicians and developing a broad, practical perspective on healthcare.

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Today, my practice brings together that background in primary care and psychiatry with the principles that have guided me from the beginning. My approach combines the practical tools of cognitive behavioral therapy, the awareness and perspective of mindfulness, and the groundedness of meeting people where they are. I believe good care should be evidence-based, collaborative, and realistic about the lives people are actually living.

 

Outside of work, you can usually find me watching Taskmaster with my spouse and our dogs,  planning my next international hiking trip, or cooking up a storm.