Dear Patient, a letter

Dear Patient,

I want you to know how seriously I take the trust you’ve placed in me — the trust that I won’t lead you astray, the trust you’ve placed in the process, and the trust you’ve placed in your own strength.

I want you to know that none of this is easy. There’s no guidebook, and there’s definitely no one-size-fits-all. Because we’re all just humans on this incredibly complicated, beautiful, and sometimes heartbreaking planet called Earth.

Your journey is individual. Your journey is important. Your goals matter. You matter.

And I’m here to tell you that, with some effort and openness, you can get through this. You can do this.

In my career as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I’ve seen things, heard things, and done things I could have never anticipated. I’ve had patients come to me on high doses of benzodiazepines they’d been taking for years, without knowing the long-term risks, and successfully discontinue them.

I’ve had patients come to me with bipolar diagnoses that didn’t meet full criteria — taking medications that were potentially harmful, simply because no one took the time to hear their whole story. Listening changed their outlook.

And I’ve also seen the reverse: patients misdiagnosed with anxiety who were actually experiencing mania, and who needed life-saving medication. Finding the right medication did, in fact, change their lives.

I’ve worked with people who were hesitant to start medications at all — and through lots of education, reflection, and compassionate conversation, they were able to clarify their goals and values. Sometimes that meant continuing with my services, and sometimes it didn’t. And that’s okay. My role is to help people figure out what they want and how I can support them best — not to push any one path.

I want you to know: I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m not here to claim I know what’s best for you. You are the expert on your life and your body. But I am here to tell you that it’s possible — because I’ve seen so many people do incredibly hard things. And I know that you can too.

If you’re open to doing hard things, I’m here to walk with you.

No one says this will be easy. In fact, I want to tell you with honesty and empathy — it’s probably going to be really hard. But it’s still worth it. Because life can be beautiful. And even with all the difficulty and trials we experience as humans — I want you to know that I believe in the journey, I believe in your story, and I believe in you.

With respect and heart,
Cassandra Castro, MSN, ARNP, PMHNP
Founder, Monarca Mental Health