Hi, my name is Kayla Carlsten and I am a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. I have a passion for mental health that goes back to one of my first jobs in 2007. I was just out of high school and looking for a job as I went back to college. I worked with the mentally disabled to help set goals to help them in life. I received my CNA at Muscatine Community College and my second job was with Lutheran Homes in the Alzheimer unit. As I went back to school for nursing I did not realize the impact mental health had in each aspect of my previous positions. I began my nursing career in 2012 and became a travel nurse in early 2014 working in hospitals and clinics. My agency called to ask if I would like to work at the inpatient state hospital. After working there I realized that I had always worked with mental health. As I continued the last 8 years as a nurse I have cared for mental health from the emergency room to the intensive care unit and in mental health units across Iowa. Mental health has a negative stigma even though at some point in our lives we will ALL battle with some aspect of it. As I continued my education I set my sights on starting my own practice. The goal of this practice is to meet patients where they are at with their mental health needs. The system has its flaws, and that’s why at Calamity Rose Ranch I like to do things a little differently. Rather than a quick in and out visit, I like to spend a little extra time getting to know every patient. We may even step outside to cuddle a horse or goat.