Dana Brewer, MSN, CNM, PMHNP-BC
Dana is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who comes to psychiatry after sixteen years as a nurse midwife. For her, the two disciplines share a common heart: holding space for people during the most tender, transformative, and challenging moments of their lives. Where midwifery walked alongside women and families through the threshold of birth, psychiatric care allows Dana to accompany patients through the many other thresholds we cross in a lifetime.
Dana is especially interested in life transitions of all kinds and brings an integrative perspective to mental health care. She believes that healing happens in relationship and that good care meets people where they are, honoring the whole person rather than a list of symptoms.
Outside of work, Dana maintains a daily meditation practice, dances zydeco, and travels whenever possible. She is happiest spending time with family and friends, cooking, and dancing in the kitchen with the people she loves.
And yes, she absolutely wants to meet your dogs.
Q&A
What is your favorite music? Music has always been an important part of my life. I grew up in South Louisiana, where music and dancing are just as important as food. I particularly love Zydeco music. Where I am from, Saturday mornings are for Zydeco brunches with friends and family.
Favorite superhero? My favorite superheroes tend to be real people I know: people juggling parenthood, jobs, family, and busy lives. This is heroic.
If you could have a superpower, what superpower would you pick? I’d really like to fly!
Tell me about your pets. Right now, I don’t have any pets. My last pet was a Shih Tzu rescue named Fancy.
Fun fact about you: My grandfather is in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He and his brother were record producers in the 1950s and 1960s and had number-one albums.
What are some experiences that make you unique? I have a little bit of a gypsy spirit. I love to travel and meet new people. I have been a midwife for 16 years, and that calling has led me to catch babies in the Philippines, India and with Yupik with Navajo people. I currently am obsessed with perimenopause and all the changes (chaos) that it brings into our lives. I am spiritually inclined and keep a regular yoga and meditation practice.
What are ways beyond medication that can improve your mental health? I believe medication plays a huge role for many people in mental health. From my perspective well being is multi-faceted. Addressing these varying aspects of a person provides and opportunity for healing. Therapy, nutrition, sleep, exercise and addressing stressors are all important aspects of improving mental health.
Are medications lifelong? Does a patient who sees you HAVE to be on medication? I think each person is different depending on their diagnosis, personal preferences, and goals.
If a patient is nervous about an evaluation, especially when talking about tough things like trauma or sexual abuse, what would you want them to know? The first thing I would say is congratulations on making the first appointment. It takes a lot to initiate this process. I hope to make the evaluation as seamless and effective as possible. Secondly, let's take the evaluation at your own pace. There will never be any pressure to talk about things that you are not ready to discuss. My job is to respect you and help you find a path forward on your healing journey.
Do you have any personal mental health experiences you can share with us? I have an uncle with schizophrenia. I witnessed the barriers he faced in terms of diagnosis and treatment over the years. For this reason, I am sensitive to the impact mental health has on families and also work to ensure that I continue to maintain good mental health myself.
