Back to Faculty
Faculty

Stephanie Kress

DNP, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, NE-PMC, RYT-200
Founder|Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Purple Mountains Wellness

Stephanie Kress, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, NE-PMC, RYT-200 is a compassionate psychiatric mental health provider, nurse leader, yoga instructor, & professional speaker dedicated to safe, equitable, & patient-centered care, as well as clinician well-being. With over 20 years of combined experience in mental health care & philanthropic service, she brings a deeply holistic approach to healing that honors the whole person: mind, body, & spirit.

Stephanie's a doctorally-prepared ANCC board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Tennessee. She's the Founder of Purple Mountains Wellness, LLC, a private outpatient psychiatric practice dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals, including nursing students, medical residents, & experienced clinicians. Stephanie creates a supportive, affirming space where clinicians can prioritize their own mental health while navigating the unique demands of healthcare careers. Her clinical approach integrates evidence-based psychopharmacology and psychotherapy with complementary practices, including yoga & mindfulness, to promote sustainable mental wellness &resilience.

Stephanie also serves as adjunct faculty at Galen College of Nursing & practices as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Diana Health, specializing in women’s health &reproductive psychiatry. She holds a BA in Psychology (summa cum laude) from Virginia Wesleyan University, an MSW with a clinical concentration from Norfolk State University, as well as a DNP, MSN, & NE-PMC from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Outside of her professional roles, Stephanie enjoys time on the Emerald Coast, hiking, white water rafting, yoga, & meaningful connections with family and friends—experiences that ground her and inform her commitment to intentional living.

2027 Sessions

Medication and Meaning: Integrating Psychopharmacology and Psychotherapy for Better Outcomes

Effective psychiatric care involves more than selecting the right medication—it also requires understanding the patient’s goals, experiences, and readiness for change. This session explores practical ways to integrate psychopharmacology with psychotherapy-informed approaches to strengthen the therapeutic relationship and support better outcomes. Faculty will highlight strategies for incorporating motivational interviewing, shared decision-making, and therapeutic communication into medication management visits to improve engagement, adherence, and long-term recovery.

Speaker

Tuesday, April 13 10:10–11:10 AM
Faculty

Saundra Jain

MA, PsyD, LPC
Adjunct Clinical Affiliate, University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing;
Private Practice, Austin, Texas

Saundra Jain, MA, PsyD, LPC, is an Adjunct Clinical Affiliate in the School of Nursing at The University of Texas at Austin and a psychotherapist in private practice. Dr. Jain is a co-creator of WILD 5 – A Proven Path to Wellness and co-author of The Science and Practice of Wellness: Interventions for Happiness, Enthusiasm, Resilience, and Optimism (HERO). She is the co-creator of the Psychedelics and Wellness Survey (PAWS), exploring the intersection between psychedelics and wellness. She is the co-host of the newly launched podcast Happy Human 3.0, which explores how modern humans can move beyond merely surviving 21st-century stressors and begin to flourish by integrating neuroscience, positive psychiatry, and compassionate, human-centered care.

In addition, Dr. Jain serves on the Psych Congress Steering Committee, helping guide educational priorities and identify emerging needs in mental health practice. She also teaches with Fluence Training, a leading provider of psychedelic education for mental health professionals, where she serves as faculty in their certification programs in Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).

Faculty

Stephanie Kress

DNP, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, NE-PMC, RYT-200
Founder|Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Purple Mountains Wellness

Stephanie Kress, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, NE-PMC, RYT-200 is a compassionate psychiatric mental health provider, nurse leader, yoga instructor, & professional speaker dedicated to safe, equitable, & patient-centered care, as well as clinician well-being. With over 20 years of combined experience in mental health care & philanthropic service, she brings a deeply holistic approach to healing that honors the whole person: mind, body, & spirit.

Stephanie's a doctorally-prepared ANCC board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Tennessee. She's the Founder of Purple Mountains Wellness, LLC, a private outpatient psychiatric practice dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals, including nursing students, medical residents, & experienced clinicians. Stephanie creates a supportive, affirming space where clinicians can prioritize their own mental health while navigating the unique demands of healthcare careers. Her clinical approach integrates evidence-based psychopharmacology and psychotherapy with complementary practices, including yoga & mindfulness, to promote sustainable mental wellness &resilience.

Stephanie also serves as adjunct faculty at Galen College of Nursing & practices as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Diana Health, specializing in women’s health &reproductive psychiatry. She holds a BA in Psychology (summa cum laude) from Virginia Wesleyan University, an MSW with a clinical concentration from Norfolk State University, as well as a DNP, MSN, & NE-PMC from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

Outside of her professional roles, Stephanie enjoys time on the Emerald Coast, hiking, white water rafting, yoga, & meaningful connections with family and friends—experiences that ground her and inform her commitment to intentional living.
Back to top