
Restoring Control: A Nurse Practitioner’s Mental Health Mission
From PiZetta Media: Podcast with a Cause by Michael VanZetta
February 27, 2026 · 21 min · Season 4 · Episode 12
About this episode
Erik Larson discusses his journey as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and his approach to mental health treatment.
Erik Larson, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and Army veteran, shares his journey from hospital nursing and military service to building a thriving private practice in Colorado. In this episode, he discusses blending medication management with therapy techniques like cognitive behavioral strategies and motivational interviewing, helping patients regain confidence and control over depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Larson also opens up about addressing fears around medication, supporting treatment-resistant patients with emerging options like transcranial magnetic stimulation, and the importance of family, self-care, and open conversations in sustaining his own mental health.
People in this episode
Host: Michael VanZetta
Guest: Erik Larson
Topics covered
- mental health
- nursing
- therapy techniques
- medication management
- PTSD
- self-care
Keywords
- mental health
- nurse practitioner
- cognitive behavioral therapy
- anxiety
- depression
- PTSD
- self-care
- medication management
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Army, Colorado, transcranial magnetic stimulation
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