Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Levina Kumar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Levina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

My journey toward providing mental health care started with my upbringing in Asia. From an early age, I began to realize how difficult it was to talk about mental health needs despite the stressors individuals experience daily. Discussions around stress, trauma, and mental health were frowned upon, which often led to feelings of anxiety and despair. I began to realize that my experiences were not unique. The stigma around mental health continues to prevail across all cultures and countries as individuals delay or refuse to seek help from a psychiatric provider due to fears of being called “crazy” or “inadequate.” This led me to my passion as I aim to normalize conversations about the need for mental well-being across cultures, genders, ages, and societies. In nearly a decade of my work in psychiatry, I have seen how individuals excel to their true potential once they have accessible options for mental healthcare. Banyan Wellness came to provide accessible mental health care virtually or in person. Our goal is to prioritize you and hear your story.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

At Banyan Wellness, we pride ourselves in being an all-inclusive, LGBTQIA+-affirming clinic. We provide comprehensive and integrative mental health care for your needs. We utilize evidence-based mental health care by giving psychiatric diagnoses/assessments, FDA-approved medication management, psychotherapy, and more for individuals ages 15+. We eliminate long wait times and provide accessible and personalized mental healthcare in person or from the comfort of your home.

We diagnose and treat multiple mood disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety. We provide FDA-approved evaluations for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, substance use, pre-bariatric surgery, perinatal psychiatry, high-risk drug monitoring, crisis intervention consultations, genetic testing, individualized education program (IEP) evaluations, and more. We have partnered with our psychiatric colleagues for transcranial magnetic stimulation/electroconvulsive therapy referrals, comprehensive psychological testing, and specific therapy modalities such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders, and intensive outpatient program/partial hospitalization program for substance use disorders. We take most insurances, making them accessible to individuals.

Clients reach out to us seeking a more personalized experience with one provider. We prioritize individuals and provide the best care as we built our business on retention rather than volume. What this means in practice is that we focus on creating a relationship of transparency and trust. Our service aims to provide a concierge feel where clients can reach us directly for emergencies or questions concerning their mental health needs.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Absolutely, we do what we do because we are passionate about the importance of mental wellness. We learned the importance of educating and empowering individuals to take a stance toward advocating for their mental health. Medication may not suit everyone, so we discuss alternatives and look into incorporating holistic options such as exercise, therapy, nutrition, or evidence-based supplementation. We promote awareness, understanding, and de-stigmatization of mental illnesses to foster an environment conducive to seeking help and support. It also entails advocating for accessible and comprehensive mental health care services to ensure individuals receive the necessary treatment and support to thrive.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

North Carolina is considered a restrictive state which makes it challenging for nurse practitioners (NPs) to open up private, independent practice. This is one of the reasons you may see very few nurse practitioner run practices in the state. What you may encounter is a practice run by a medical doctor or psychiatrist with nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants on their team. Though challenging, Banyan Wellness came to being with a goal to also continue to inspire other nurse practitioners to follow their dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.banyanwellness.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/banyanwellnessnc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levina-kumar-886659151
• Other: Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/psychiatrists/levina-kumar-raleigh-nc/1161479

Image Credits

SC, LAP