Lea Croft, PMHNP-BC

I was born and raised in Oregon and have lived in Bend since 2014. I spend my time hiking, running, camping, and fly fishing with my partner, Kris, and my dog, George. My own wellness journey has exposed me to a few different Buddhist meditation practices, breath work, energy work, and somatic approaches. I have had exposure to and mentorship from a variety of Western Medicine/Psychiatric and psychologic approaches as well as alternative healers. My approach is a combination of these teachings, including a strong foundation and passion for evidence based practice. I start from a place of curiosity and acceptance, and incorporate some basic CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), MI (motivational interviewing), and other modalities, depending on the person. I focus on foundational supports, including nutritional therapies, body movement, and behavioral tools to improve one’s mental health. I then layer in nutritional testing and supplementation as well as medications to improve wellness and function. I believe medicines (in all forms) work best in conjunction with lifestyle changes. They are an aid to assist in healing. I strive to support my patients to live a fully actualized life and believe this can happen best through lifestyle change alongside careful and thoughtful use of medicine when appropriate. As a Certified Functional Medicine Informed Professional, I weave in a variety of different tools to optimize function and wellbeing. Getting the life and health one wants can be a journey and a series of trial and error. Traditional routes are not right for everyone, and I believe having someone willing to walk that journey with you and tailor a plan unique to your goals, needs, and values will greatly improve this experience.

My experience: I have over 17 years working in healthcare. I received my MSN from Gonzaga University in 2022, and have built a strong foundation working locally with children, teens, and adults. Prior to this, I worked in critical care, which built a strong foundation in disease processes and assessment and monitoring for these conditions. I also have multiple years working in mental health, both in a hospital setting and in community settings. I worked at St Charles for 7 years, and am familiar and have worked with many of the specialists and various healthcare systems in our local community.

As an experienced Nurse Practitioner, I am competent in evidence based practice and treatment recommendations. I use evidence to guide my practice and recommendations, both in traditional approaches and in Functional Medicine approaches. Functional Medicine focuses more on a “root cause” approach to support your body’s natural rhythms and systems to work optimally. This allows me to avoid or reduce the need for medications overall, or support the use of medications to reduce side effects and improve efficacy.