Virginia Gardner

Mike Gardner, J.D., M.S., LPC-MHSP(T) I know what drew me to counseling. I would love to know more about what draws you. Do you worry you’re not enough? Does it all feel pointless? Are you feeling like the world requires more than you can give? Do you feel like one wrong move and it all comes crashing down, or that it already has? Do you have habits that you want to stop but you need them to numb or to escape? For me, after fifteen years in the practice of law and the business world, I was a trusted advisor but felt disheartened and stuck. I thought, “is this the work I had wanted? . . . what am I meant to do?” My favorite moments were the connections with colleagues, sharing stories about our kids or hearing about a personal challenge they were facing. After years of getting therapy, I pivoted. I became a therapist, where personal connection is the point. Now, I have the privilege of sitting with clients and creating a welcoming space for authenticity, vulnerability and renewal. I am a peace-maker by nature. Sometimes, I’m funny. In counseling, I’m passionate about helping clients face their struggles and discover a new way of being, connecting to forgotten parts of themselves and rediscovering their inherent value. I assist clients in seeing and recrafting their story. Since it is their story (not mine), my clients set their own priorities and values; I will not tell you what to do or what to believe. I help individual adults and couples in counseling using IFS, EFT and narrative therapy approaches, along with tools from CDT, DBT and somatic work. I accompany clients who are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, life transitions, divorce, addiction, men’s issues or bipolar disorder. I graduated from Duke University for my undergraduate and then from Vanderbilt University School of Law. More recently, I received my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lipscomb University. My wife and I are the proud parents of two children. I hope that we can connect soon. Please complete the contact form or feel free to reach out directly to me at 615-212-9556. We can talk at no charge to see if I am the right therapist for you. Session Details $135 per clinical hour (50 minutes). Fees are due at time of appointment. I am not able to accept insurance but will provide a superbill for clients to personally file if they wish. Appointments are available Tuesdays and Fridays at this time. I practice in affiliation with Cypress Counseling in Brentwood and under the supervision of Paul Babb, EdS, ACS, LPC-MHSP. Virginia Gardner, DNP, PMHNP-BC My approach: I am an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner with prescriptive privileges. I am also certified as a qualified cognitive therapist through the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. I strive to take a broad holistic approach in addressing the mental health needs of my patients. I prescribe psychiatric medications when necessary and helpful. I also believe in psychotherapy, examining pertinent medical labs, genetic testing, and I pay special attention to the role of nutrition and exercise in mental health and wellness. My area of expertise is mood disorders and I feel best suited to help adults with depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and insomnia. I enjoy using my cognitive behavioral training to help individuals with insomnia ("CBT-I"). If you don't have a therapist already, and we decide that regular psychotherapy would be helpful to you, I have an extensive list of therapists with whom I like to work. I think of the services that I provide as more than just "medication management" (my minimum time spent with you is a 25 minute follow up), but at this time I am not doing formalized psychotherapy with most clients (other than a time limited course of CBT-I for insomnia for those who desire that). Educational background: I graduated from Duke University with a psychology major and received my Masters of Science in Nursing from the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty program at Vanderbilt School of Nursing in 2005. I completed my DNP at the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 2025. Professional background: I began my work in outpatient psychiatry at Vanderbilt Medical Group, specializing in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders (2006-2012). There I had the privilege of learning from Dr. Rick Shelton, MD (amazing leader in the field of depression research) and Dr. Steve Hollon, PhD (cognitive behavioral therapy expert). I continued my clinical work in outpatient psychiatry from 2012-2020 at a highly respected private practice in Hillsboro Village. In 2020, I opened my own small private practice, Gardner Wellness. In addition to my clinical work seeing patients, I enjoy teaching psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner students. For over ten years, I have been a part-time faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN). I have taught in various courses including neuroscience for psychiatric nurse practitioners, theories of psychotherapy, psychopharmacology and advanced psychopharmacology. Personal background: I am a Nashville native and have also enjoyed living in Durham, NC; Florence, Italy (college semester abroad); and Washington DC. My husband and I have two school-aged children. I am a late convert to dog-loving, won over by a 15 pound fluffy cavapoo with a heart of gold. I am a Christian (Episcopalian) with curiosity and interest in spiritual questions. I enjoy hiking, gardening, yoga, and reading fiction. ~Virginia Gardner, DNP, PMHNP-BC