FOUNDER & CLINICAL DIRECTOR | WHITE PINE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS
Psychiatry that feels good starts with a practice that feels good.
You've probably experienced it at some point — sitting in a waiting room longer than your actual appointment. A front desk interaction that left you feeling like a burden rather than a person. A provider who clearly had one eye on the clock. Notes that never made it to your other doctor. A follow-up that never came.
It's not anyone's fault, really. Burnout is real. Understaffed practices are real. The pressure to see more patients in less time is real.
But that doesn't have to be your experience.
What if psychiatric care actually felt good?
Not just tolerable. Not just functional. But genuinely warm, unhurried, and human — where someone actually remembered what you said last time, and where you left feeling a little more hopeful than when you came in.
That's what I set out to build with White Pine. And it starts from the inside out — with providers who feel supported, educated, and genuinely invested in the people they care for.
A practice built on wholeness.
You are not just your symptoms, and you are not just your diagnosis. You are a whole person — body, mind, relationships, environment, history. The providers at White Pine are trained to see all of that, and to care for all of that.
We integrate lifestyle, medication, and genuine human connection into every treatment plan. Not because it's trendy, but because the science supports it and our patients deserve it.
Our providers specialize in:
Conditions we treat:
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Major Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Perinatal and Postnatal Depression
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
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Generalized anxiety
PTSD
Perinatal and Postnatal Anxiety
Parenting stress & burnout
Work stress & burnout
Women’s & Men’s issues
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OCD
Trichotillomania
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ADHD
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Perinatal & Postanal Depression
Perinatal & Postnatal Anxiety
Parenting Stress & Burnout
Work Stress & Burnout
Women’s Issues
Our philosophies
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You are magic.
There’s something deeply beautiful inherent to each of us. Depression, anxiety, and discontent may be present in your life, but it’s not who you are. We can work together so that who you are is more of what you feel.
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Medication is amazing...
…and it works best in a healthy environment. Rest, nutrition, movement, stress management, social connection, and so much more can work in tandem with medication to support your wellness.
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Everyone belongs here.
We are committed to creating a space where every patient feels respected, understood, and safe — regardless of background, identity, or experience. That commitment starts at the top and runs through everything we do.
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You deserve care that feels good.
Psychiatry can definitely be uncomfortable, but it should be the good kind of uncomfortable where you feel pretty certain there’s growth on the other side. You deserve the good kind of uncomfortable.
The Care You Deserve Is Right Here.
I hand-selected providers at White Pine because I love who they are as clinicians and as human beings. If you came here looking for me specifically, I want you to know — you are in excellent hands.
Meet the providers I trust:
Jacob Vial, PA-C
Jacob's approach is grounded in lifestyle psychiatry — looking at the whole picture, not just the prescription pad. He is thoughtful, unhurried, and genuinely invested in helping patients build a life that supports their mental health.
CAQ - Psych
DMSc, CAQ - PsychStacey Whitaker, PA-C
Stacey brings warmth, precision, and a deeply collaborative spirit to every patient she sees. She specializes in anxiety, depression, OCD, and women's mental health — and her patients consistently describe feeling truly heard for the first time.
About Me :
Founder & Clinical Director, White Pine Mental Health & Wellness
17 years in psychiatric practice
Textbook contributor — virtual medicine
Speaker, American Academy of PAs
Podcast guest & mental health advocate
Terrible but enthusiastic gardener
Call Alabama, Idaho & Tennessee home
Library lover…because who doesn’t love free books?!?
About Kathryn
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I've spent 17 years in psychiatric practice and 3 in primary care, and I still love this work as much as I did at the start. These days my focus has shifted to leading White Pine, shaping how we think about psychiatric education, and contributing to the broader conversation about what good mental healthcare looks like.
I'm currently contributing a chapter on telehealth to an upcoming textbook, speak regularly at the American Academy of PAs, and love joining podcasts and professional conversations about psychiatry, provider wellness, and the future of behavioral health.
My clinical philosophy hasn't changed: medication is powerful, and it works best inside a healthy life. Rest, movement, nutrition, connection, and stress management are not optional extras — they are part of the treatment plan.
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Bachelor of Arts Health Promotion, Hendrix College, 2004
Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies, Idaho State University 2007
Board Certified Physician Assistant National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Certificate of Added Qualification in Psychiatry from the NCCPA
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Achieving Wellness in the Era of Burnout
Using Mind Body Techniques in Clinical Practice
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As a PA, Kathryn collaborates with numerous other providers include patient's primary care providers, counselors, and specialists to provide you with excellent care.
She has a formal collaboration agreement, as required by state medical practice laws, with Dr. Lauro Amezcua Patino and Dr. Sandra Lare.
"Kathryn is caring and knowledgeable. She took her time to really understand what is going on and explain the treatment. So glad I found her!"
