About Us
Services:
- Psychiatric Medication Management
- Substance Use Treatment, including buprenorphine/buprenorphine-naloxone treatment
- Individual / Couples Counseling
- Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluations
We provide services to children as young as 3 years of age and throughout the life span.
Psychiatry (Medication Management)
Nicole Thompson, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, RN
Owner/Clinical Director
Nicole Thompson is a seasoned mental health professional with a rich and diverse career journey. Beginning as a Social Worker for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, she honed her skills in advocating for vulnerable populations and supporting families in challenging situations. Her experience as a social worker for DSS expanded as she transitioned into providing clinical services, leveraging her expertise in various clinics across New York, Alabama, Texas, and Florida during her husband's military career. Her roles in private practice and with the Department of Defense provided her with extensive experience in addressing a wide spectrum of mental health concerns. After her time as a Social Worker, Nicole decided she wanted to be able to do more for her patients and began her journey to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She gained her nursing license and worked as an ICU nurse in Tennessee, immediately beginning her studies as an NP. Currently, Nicole specializes in a variety of conditions, including patients across the lifespan as young as 3, special needs, anxiety, depression, Bipolar disorder, substance abuse, trauma, and ADHD, among others. Additionally, Nicole has been married to her husband for almost 15 years, who was active duty military. They have three daughters and their oldest requires monthly infusions and suffers from narcolepsy. Their middle daughter is profoundly deaf and utilizes cochlear implants to hear, also having high functioning autism. The youngest daughter has undergone three brain surgeries due to a medical condition. Nicole shares this information to underscore that everyone has a story, and that story isn’t always an easy one to tell. She appreciates your trust in her for your mental health needs and looks forward to assisting you in reaching your greatest potential through improved mental health. It is our honor to serve you.
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Tonia Johnson, PMHNP-BC, RN
My name is Tonia Johnson, and I am a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). I began my nursing career in October 2020 as a physical rehabilitation RN, where I developed a strong foundation in patient care and holistic healing. Just one year later, I transitioned into pediatric mental health—a move that sparked my deep passion for working with children and adolescents facing emotional and behavioral challenges. Motivated by the need I saw daily and my desire to make a greater impact, I pursued my Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on psychiatric mental health. Today, I have the privilege of caring for young individuals with conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. My approach is trauma- informed, compassionate, and individualized holistic care. I strive to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where children feel heard, supported, and empowered on their mental health
Kendra Headley-Duncan, PMHNP-BC, RN
I am Kendra Headley-Duncan, MSN, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. During my first year of my nursing career, I gained experience in medical surgical nursing, tele-step down, orthopedics, and neuro before transitioning into psychiatry, where I gained over five years of psychiatric nursing experience. I earned my Master of Science in Nursing, during which I established a strong foundation in evidence-based mental health care.
My passion is providing compassionate, individualized, and holistic psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults. I believe healing happens when treatment plans are tailored to each person’s unique story, culture, and goals. My clinical interests include mood disorders, anxiety, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, and ADHD, and helping individuals find balance in both their mental health and everyday lives.
I practice with a collaborative approach, partnering with patients, families, and other providers to create treatment strategies that combine medication management, therapy support, and lifestyle interventions. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where patients feel heard, empowered, and encouraged to achieve lasting wellness.
Outside of work, I have been happily married for 11 years and cherish my role as a mother to two wonderful children. I am committed to continuous learning, family life, and building community initiatives that expand access to mental health care.
Counseling Therapy
Jeff Danouski, LCSW
My ideal client is someone that is earnest about receiving help and making changes. They would be someone who is able to identify their needs in therapy and what they want to improve. They will be engaged in treatment and open to therapeutic techniques. They will ask questions and ask for support and assistance.
I have over 10 years as a licensed provider. Over the course of my career, I have worked with diverse clients from different racial, ethnic, financial, and educational backgrounds. I have worked with the LGBTQ+ population and would consider myself an ally. I treat everyone with respect and as an individual. I have experience with CBT, DBT, MI, ACT, and CPS. I have been using some or all of these modalities since 2011. I have worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings and have worked with a large variety of folks with different mental health disorders.
If you are looking for a kind and understanding provider please reach out. I treat everyone with respect and will support you in your goals. I have over 10 years of licensed experience and will always try my best to bring harmony to your life. I use evidence-based models of therapy to provide exceptional service. All treatment plans are custom created to help support you. I use my knowledge, expertise, and resourcefulness to give you a quality therapeutic experience. I have received much praise and feedback from clients that I am kind, understanding, and have helped them significantly in their lives.
Knox Culpepper, LCSWA
Hello! Want to learn how to analyze and change your thinking? Would you like to become skilled in recognizing positivity? Then look no further! My name is Knox Culpepper and I am a mental health therapist currently practicing in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. I specialize in helping clients manage depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD symptoms through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, although I consider my style of therapy more eclectic due to my tendency to draw from other therapeutic modalities to supplement my specific process. I am willing to meet clients where they are and I am passionate about this profession but more than just therapy I am passionate about people. I firmly believe everyone is born inherently valuable and if you have been struggling recently with seeing your own self worth, then I would love to do my best to help.
Support Staff
Rich Thompson - Office Manager
As the Office Manager at Southern Mentality, I’m here to help make your experience smooth, welcoming, and stress-free from the very first interaction. I support our team behind the scenes while also assisting with scheduling, insurance questions, and general coordination to keep everything running efficiently.
I’m proud to support Nicole’s vision of creating a practice where both patients and staff feel safe, supported, and valued. My goal is to help foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable throughout their journey with us.
MJ Cabiao - Practice Coordinator
I serve as the Practice Coordinator for Southern Mentality, supporting both patients and providers behind the scenes to ensure a seamless and efficient care experience. I oversee scheduling, insurance coordination, intake processing, and day-to-day patient communications, helping streamline operations so our clinicians can focus fully on delivering high-quality mental health care.
With a strong background in administrative systems and client relations, I am committed to creating a supportive and responsive environment for every individual who reaches out to Southern Mentality. I understand that navigating mental health services can feel overwhelming, and I work diligently to make the onboarding and scheduling process clear, organized, and stress-free.
I play a key role in maintaining workflow efficiency, and ensuring that patients receive timely communication and follow-up. My goal is to provide structure and reliability behind the scenes so that each patient’s experience feels smooth, professional, and compassionate from first contact onward. I am always happy to help coordinate your care and assist you with any questions to make your experience with Southern Mentality as seamless as possible.
Jenny Italia - Medical Receptionist
Hi, I’m Jenny. I support the daily operations of our clinic, including front and back office coordination, scheduling, insurance verification, and student support. I prioritize communication that is clear, calm, and supportive, ensuring that each patient feels guided and cared for throughout their experience with us. Contributing to a smooth, patient‑centered care environment is deeply meaningful to me, and I am committed to helping our team deliver an organized, compassionate, and high‑quality clinical experience.
Kamille Balaba - Medical Receptionist
Kamille is a dedicated Registered Nurse with over two years of experience as a Medical Virtual Assistant. She began her career managing insurance verifications and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of medical records prior to patient visits, building a strong foundation in both clinical operations and healthcare administration. In addition to her virtual healthcare experience, Kamille has a strong clinical background in the medical-surgical unit, where she provided care to both pediatric and adult patients with a wide range of medical conditions. This hands-on experience has strengthened her clinical judgment, adaptability, and ability to manage complex patient needs.
She now serves as a prior authorization coordinator, facilitating timely access to essential psychiatric medications. Leveraging her nursing background, Kamille provides thorough clinical support by appropriately documenting and justifying treatment needs, while maintaining clear, compassionate communication with patients and providers alike. As a HIPAA-certified professional, Kamille upholds the highest standards of patient confidentiality and data security. Her approachable and positive demeanor fosters a supportive environment, enhancing both patient experience and care coordination.
Through her extensive experience as a Medical Virtual Assistant in an online setting, she has developed advanced expertise in virtual healthcare delivery ensuring that each patient receives attentive, coordinated, and high-quality care throughout every stage of their treatment journey.
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