Psychiatry in Charlotte, North Carolina Sakina Alston, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

I have always had an innate passion to treat not the disease, but rather to assist individuals in living up to their desired level of optimal functioning despite health or sociological barriers they face. Twelve years of nursing experience allowed me to treat and gain familiarity with people from all walks of life; I also had the opportunity to understand their barriers to functioning at their best.
I have cared for adolescents, children and babies when they were in crisis in the emergency department providing reassurance and safety. For the past two years, I have treated individuals aged 7 through over 65 in the acute care psychiatric setting including substance abuse, trauma, PTSD, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health related issues. I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and providing them with tools that help them cope and manage stressors that may impede them from living a healed adult life.
I received my BSN at Winston-Salem State University, in Winston-Salem, NC, my MSN at ECPI, in Virginia Beach, VA and my post-graduate certificate in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner studies at Maryville University in St. Louis, MO.
I was born in the United Kingdom and lived there until I was 11, then I lived in the inner city of Philadelphia, and suburbs of NJ until I moved to more rural areas of NC. The fact that I have lived in various places contributes to my ability to understand various cultural nuances that impact care of diverse people.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, traveling and eating foods from different cultures.