Tonia has a Master of Science in Nursing, and is a certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Board certification as well.
Tonia says, "My passion started after working as a Psychiatric Care Technician at Mendota Mental Health Institute and having a close friend who struggled with addiction. I fell in love with helping individuals who had acute and chronic mental health and substance use disorders. I took that passion and became a nurse." She has more than 11 years of psychiatric, mental health, and substance use experience, with a nursing background that includes medical, corrections, and inpatient psychiatry.
Tonia strongly believes in meeting people where they are and takes a non-punitive, harm-reductive approach to treatment, previously opening a substance use walk-in clinic. Her philosophy is "honesty, not perfection." Her passion is working with adults who struggle with substance use and addiction and justice-involved individuals. Other areas of interest include bipolar and depressive disorders, ADHD, trauma, and deprescribing.
Tonia provides medication management with a collaborative and person-centered approach to treatment. Medications are only a tool in the toolbox; thus, she believes in using the least number of medications, at the lowest effective dose, to treat symptoms, not disorders.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Kory, dog Capone, and family, supporting people in recovery, reading and listening to non-fiction, gardening, exploring new places, drawing, being creative, kayaking, and riding her motorcycle.
