Alysha Woods

Alysha Woods is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who has worked in a variety of roles and settings for over ten years. She began her experience as a behavioral assistant at adult and child inpatient programs, one of which was a program at UCLA. She has also worked in the emergency department at various hospitals across San Diego, CA. She briefly worked as an undergraduate nursing professor for nursing students in their psychiatric rotation. Upon receiving her B.S. in nursing and passing her RN board exam, Alysha continued her career as a psychiatric nurse. Later, she staffed a 24-hour response team for survivors or sexual assault. In this role, she performed exams, offered resources, and provided expert witness testimony. Additionally, she trained over 20 nurses on trauma informed sexual assault examination.

After completing her PMHNP program, Alysha worked on a consult liaison team at a children’s hospital in Los Angeles and rounded at a geriatric psychiatric hospital after hours. Her next role as an NP was providing psychiatric evaluations at a group home for boys on probation. After gaining experience as an NP, Alysha completed a fellowship in integrative psychiatry and opened her own private practice in LA. Here, she has the freedom to travel and teach PMHNP students in CA, WA, and OR. Alysha has also started a group mentorship program specifically for PMHNPs through which she teaches students how to start their own practices focused on maintaining work-life balance, as well as provide excellent care to patients.

Alysha has training in pediatric CBT and DBT for teens and adults, both individually and in group settings. Alysha received training in medication management through rotations at St. Joseph’s Psychiatric Emergency Department, Los Angeles Juvenile Hall, and a private practice in Covina, CA. Furthermore, Alysha’s experience in integrative psychiatry allows her to focus on prescribing medications while also providing mind-body techniques, nutrition recommendations, functional lab work, supplementation, and spiritual support.

Alysha’s areas of expertise include autistic children and teens, as well as patients with PTSD, ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, and eating disorders, among others. Alysha does not view cares as a focus on diagnosis, but rather acknowledges that patients suffer from a number of challenges that lead them to seek healing and recovery.

Along with her private practice, Alysha also offer presentations on trauma informed care, self-care for nurses, therapist business practices, the importance of whole food plant-based nutrition, and adverse childhood experiences. She has also held several leadership positions with the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Alysha has experience working with several special populations, including offering gender affirming care to nonbinary and transgender patients. He younger brother is a transgender boy with a love of birds, candle making, and film; she has supported him through his medical and mental health care. Alysha is of Hispanic and indigenous decent, and has a love for supporting those experiencing stress related to these specific communities. Lastly, Alysha is a cancer survivor and exhibits his insight through the care she provides her patients. Outside of her career, Alysha enjoys herbalism, aerial dance, and cooking. Her friends and clients describe her as warm, silly, and non-judgmental.