Conversations with Marlene Pino

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlene Pino.

Hi Marlene, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

My interest in mental health began during nursing school at Regis University, especially after my psychiatric rotation at Denver Health. After graduating, I chose to work in the emergency department where there is an amalgamation of intense medical and mental health care. During those 6 years I naturally gravitated towards caring for our patients experiencing mental health crisis.

After my first daughter was born, I left my role as an ED RN to become an emergency room clinical educator. Missing direct patient care, I enrolled in Colorado University at Colorado Springs’ Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner/Forensic Nurse (SANE/FN) certification program and worked as a SANE/FN RN for an additional six years.

As a SANE/FN, secondary trauma is a known occupational risk, which prompted my decision to transition in order to safeguard my mental health. During those six years, I enrolled at Colorado University at Anschuetz Medical Center’s Nurse Graduate Program for Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners. Admission to the program was competitive and the course work intense demanding, particularly as I was balancing responsibilities as a young mother. Throughout the two-and-a-half-year full-time program, I worked weekend nights as a SANE/FN and received support from my family and my daughter’s father.

After graduating, I accepted a position at a local community mental health center. I valued my time there, as it allowed me to serve clients in need and collaborate with committed colleagues; however, I had always aspired to establish my own psychiatric practice. In January 2020, I submitted my three months’ notice, and my final day of employment was March 18th—coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 shutdowns. Consequently, I was unable to hold a farewell gathering with my colleagues and faced the additional challenge of launching my psychiatry business during a global pandemic.

I transitioned to working for a small Colorado business that provided online therapy services.  They had one psychiatric nurse practitioner on staff who happened to be a good friend referred me as a potential colleague.  My business, Red Rocks Psychiatry was among the homegrown businesses that experienced growth during the pandemic due to the increased demand for mental health support.

After the pandemic, I leased a beautiful office space in South Lakewood and have been growing there since.

Through discussions with peers and clients, I have observed that many individuals expressed apprehension regarding the initiation and ongoing use of psychiatric medications. I understand this perspective, having been raised in an environment where pharmaceuticals were reserved as a last resort. Typically, my mother relied on natural remedies such as teas, specific foods, and tinctures to address common childhood ailments. For example, cough syrup was often made from mint tea, lemon, and honey, while stomach discomfort was treated with ginger tea and generous amounts of honey. 

Many clients benefited from advice on adopting healthy habits and recognizing the impact of nutrition, exercise, and sleep on mental health. The Integrative Psychiatric Institute fellowship in Boulder, Colorado, which focuses on the whole person, has helped me treat and educate clients more effectively using lifestyle changes, supplements, focused GI system assessments, laboratory testing and psychiatric medications when needed.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

One of the main challenges was managing personal responsibilities, including motherhood, alongside the demands of graduate school and 2 – 12hr weekend shifts as a SANE/FN nurse, which allowed me to financially support my family while my daughter’s father and his mother cared for our daughters. The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program required 630 clinical hours, most of which were completed at Denver County Jail. Clinical placements and academic coursework equated to a full-time commitment, in addition to the regular weekend hospital shifts.

That period was especially difficult because my children were young, and I wanted to spend all my time with them. Having a professional career and my own practice now gives me the autonomy to be present with them in a way I couldn’t if I worked for someone else.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I take pride in my extensive educational and professional journey that has brought me here today. I have the expertise to assess and treat all of my clients holistically. I treat all individuals across the lifespan, children through adulthood; and I also recognize that everyone has their own unique challenges and journeys towards achieving their definition of happy and healthy lives.

 I have the understanding and ability to address psychosocial, medical and mental health challenges. I believe that overall health and well-being is a constellation of all three aspects, and I am here to help. My unique approach stems from comprehensive training and experience in integrative psychiatry. I dedicate extra time to initial assessments to identify lifestyle factors and medical issues affecting mental health, followed by close follow-ups to monitor progress and manage medication side effects.

I’ve cared for hundreds of clients throughout my career. Nothing matters more to me than your health and comfort, which is why I have invested so much time and effort into advancing my medical practice and therapeutic techniques.  I have developed Red Rocks Psychiatry to be a nurturing and safe place that fosters emotional healing, development and education to support resilient mental health.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?

Persistence, resilience, education, and empathy shape my approach with clients and in life.  

I learned these traits from my mother, a single parent of three with limited resources. Despite working long and odd hours to support us, she pursued education and succeeded in a male-dominated field, overcoming gender-based challenges. Her perseverance helped both her and her children thrive, teaching resilience and persistence while leaving a strong legacy.  I attribute my achievements to her guidance, strength and love. 

Pricing:

• 60min Psychiatric Intake session = $300
• 30min Psychiatric Reassessment = $150
• I take most major health insurances

Contact Info:

• Website: https://redrockspsych.com
• Instagram: marlenepsychiatry