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Essential Mental Healthcare, PLLC, is a compassionate mental health care practice in Chandler, Arizona, and Boise, Idaho, led by board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Frances Spink, DNP, MSN, MBA, PMHNP-BC. Dr. Spink helps patients 9 and older live their best lives by effectively diagnosing and treating conditions using personalized care.

Dr. Spink is a doctorally prepared, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with over 20 years of experience in hospital and outpatient settings. She’s worked in several specialties, but her passion is mental health care. Dr. Spink takes an honest, nonjudgemental, empathetic approach to providing mental stability.

She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Capella University, and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees with honors from Walden University in Minneapolis. She’s a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Essential Mental Healthcare, PLLC, provides in-person and telepsychiatry services, allowing patients to receive outstanding care in a face-to-face setting and from the comfort of their homes.

The practice accepts Optum, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, United Health Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona, and cash payments. Essential Mental Healthcare, PLLC, also offers sliding scale discounts and superbills (itemized bills reflecting all services provided to the patient; this superbill is submitted to an insurance company for patient reimbursement).

The practice treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS), personality disorders, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. Dr. Spink also addresses panic attacks, insomnia, eating disorders, phobias, and schizophrenia.

Essential Mental Healthcare, PLLC, uses psychiatric evaluations and GeneSight® genetic testing to pinpoint the root cause of symptoms and determine how to best treat them. Dr. Spink provides psychotherapy, medication management, and in-person and telepsychiatry follow-up evaluations. She helps patients flourish despite difficult life situations and other barriers to fulfillment.

Schedule an in-person or telepsychiatry evaluation at Essential Mental Healthcare, PLLC, by phone or request one online today.

Sarah Smith is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who graduated from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming in 2017 with a Doctorates of Nursing Practice. After graduating, Mrs. Smith spent two and a half years working in a community mental health clinic in Gillette, Wyoming. Prior to becoming a provider, Mrs. Smith had been a registered nurse since 2010. She spent four years working as a Medical/Surgical nurse and three years working as a behavioral health nurse. This experience taught her how to be an active listener and patient advocate. Mrs. Smith moved to Gillette, Wyoming in 2011 to be with her husband. She has found access to mental health and substance abuse treatment to be lacking in Wyoming. She continues to provide mental health treatment in Gillette, WY as she strives to improve access to those in need of care.

Daryl Cotton is psychiatric nurse practitioner for Estrella Integrative Psychiatry outpatient clinic in Avondale, Arizona. He specializes in the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety, ADHD, childhood behavioral issues, and addiction. He is experienced in the treatment of patients from the full spectrum of lifespan from children and adolescents, to adults and geriatric populations. Daryl is committed to practicing psychiatry using holistic approach and the focus of treatment is in medication management and therapy to help people enrich and improve their lives while dealing with mental illness and stress. He is personable and compassionate, skilled in therapeutic communication and individual counseling. He believes that prompt treatment and intervention improves outcomes and enhances lives.

Our principal, DR. STEPHANIE FUMI HANCOCK is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health(PMHNP-BC) Dr. of Nurse Practice, TEDxTALK Speaker, 16x Bestselling Author, and an Award-winning Podcaster. She is known globally as Your Compassionate Trauma Care Maestro™ and Global VIsion Midwife™ who uses Rehabilitative Storytelling to move hurting people from Trauma to Recovery™. In addition, she is one of the first cohorts, the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship. Dr. Hancock, DNP has been featured on various media outlets such as TV-CBS9, Radio- iHeartRadio. She writes, "Our staff is patient, empowering, and dedicated to YOUR CARE. POB Psychiatry is a safe haven from Recovery and Wellness Flow™".

Originally from Jamaica, currently residing in west central Florida, I am a dual Board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner with over 12 years of experience in healthcare. This experience is inclusive of Emergency room, Trauma, and Intensive care as a Registered Nurse, addiction medicine, primary care, Urgent care, community health, infectious disease, Psychiatry/ behavioral health, and pediatrics, among other subspecialties as a nurse practitioner. I discovered my passion for mental health during my work in emergency departments nationwide, working as a community health nurse practitioner with the homeless community in South Florida, and as a pediatric urgent care nurse practitioner treating unaccompanied minors in Texas. In these positions, I was made fully aware of the significant presence of individuals with unaddressed trauma, and mental health conditions due to the stigma, and limited access to treatment.

Doctorate of Nursing practice in psychiatric mental health. I am a Board-Certified Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) licensed in Arizona. I have been in this profession for 25 years. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my amazing family and friends. I enjoy travel and seeing new people, places and experiences. I love animals and am a devoted pet person. I care about the community regardless of race, nationality, identity, or religion. My goal is to empower all people to understand that mental health affects everyone. I have come to know that trauma has a significant influence on a patient's life and how trauma affects one's well-being and oftentimes leads to issues with addiction. I have extensive experience in working with depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. I believe in providing hope, respect, and compassion to those I treat. Most of my experience has been in medication management for these mental health issues.

Shawn is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. He has been in the psychiatric nursing specialty for over 14 years. He is experienced in providing care for individuals requesting treatment for mental health and substance use disorders utilizing evidence-based methodology. He provides evaluations, treatment planning, ongoing follow-up, and psychopharmacological treatment.

Fernando Grabner, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist at 2nd Chance. He specializes in mood disorders and substance use disorders. He treats conditions such as depression, anxiety, panic, bipolar disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder. He offers his clinical expertise to patients in the communities of Phoenix, Glendale, Lichfield and Gilbert, Arizona.

He provides a variety of outpatient services, including Suboxone®, for patients addicted to prescription opioids, fentanyl, and heroin. He also offers intranasal Ketamine for those with treatment resistant depression.

Dr. Grabner earned his medical degree at St. Luke University in Porto Velho, Brazil. He then came to the United States and completed a residency in General Psychiatry at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. For two consecutive years he was elected Chief Resident, where he served helping develop the Residency Program, supervision of other residents and administrative issues.

Robert Rymowicz is a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, he attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences, and completed his residency training in psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where he served as chief resident. Robert completed the Psychoanalytic Association of New York's fellowship in psychoanalysis during his final year of residency training, and then obtained further subspeciality training at UCLA, where he completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry. Robert serves on the American Psychiatric Association's Council on Addiction Psychiatry, and as a representative to the board of directors of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Jared Brink, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at 2nd Chance. He sees patients from the practice’s locations in Arrowhead and Surprise, Arizona.  

Raised in Northern Arizona, Jared started his healthcare journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Arizona State University (ASU), graduating in 2007. He worked in the physical therapy field for a time and then found his true passion after graduating from ASU with a degree in nursing in 2012. Over the years, Jared has developed a keen desire to help people who are hurting, both physically and mentally. 

Working as an acute care ICU nurse for years, it was extremely satisfying providing care and compassion to people who desperately needed it. However, after joining an outpatient assertive community treatment (ACT) team helping those with severe mental illness, substance use disorders, and general mental health concerns, Jared made it his goal to become an excellent psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Jared has now taken this enthusiasm with him into the role as a provider and plans to work diligently to provide genuine care and compassion to those needing help.

Jared is an active member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. He obtained his Master of Science in Nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Eastern Kentucky University.

Paul Christopher Boulware, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist. at 2nd Chance, an outpatient addiction recovery center with locations in Glendale, Phoenix, and Gilbert, Arizona. Dr. Boulware specializes in neuropsychiatry, mood disorders, cognitive decline, and dementia.

Dr. Boulware has always cared about the human condition. Before pursuing medicine, he graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Arts in American History and a Bachelor of Arts in English.

Dr. Boulware received his medical degree in 2002 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He went on to complete the Montgomery Internal Medicine Training Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

A passionate learner, Dr. Boulware then completed a residency in nuclear medicine at Emory University, located in Atlanta, followed by a residency in radiology at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma. Finally, he practiced as a resident in psychiatry at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Over the years, Dr. Boulware has received numerous honors for his studies and work, including the 2003 Terry Hale Intern of the Year Award at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

Dr. Boulware finds his work at 2nd Chance to be incredibly rewarding, and he seeks close ties with his professional community so that he can continue to help his patients recover their lives using the latest and best methods and medications. 

To that end, he’s also a member of the American Psychiatric Association, Arizona Psychiatric Society, Maryland Psychiatric Association, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, and the American Medical Association. 

Michael F. LaVarnway, DO, is a board-certified psychiatrist serving residents throughout the communities of Phoenix, Glendale, Surprise, and Gilbert, Arizona. Dr. LaVarnway brings more than 20 years of experience to 2nd Chance, where he works with individuals struggling with addiction and mental health disorders.

Dr. LaVarnway earned his Bachelor of Science in biology at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, New York, in 1995 before enrolling in medical school. In 1999, he received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, New York.

Four years later, Dr. LaVarnway completed a general psychiatry residency at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, spending an additional year on consultation and liaison, addiction psychiatry, and community-based psychiatry.

Suboxone® certified, Dr. LaVarnway treats individuals addicted to prescription opioids and heroin, alcohol, marijuana, and more. He also provides therapy for those struggling with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and other mental health disorders.

Outside of his psychiatry role at 2nd Chance, Dr. LaVarnway has served as an instructor at Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, where he provided educational mentorship for physician assistants and medical students during their psychiatry rotations.

Jennifer Peterson, PMHNP-BC, is a dedicated nurse practitioner dual board-certified in psychiatry/mental health and family practice. She is proud to be a part of the skilled team at 2nd Chance, serving the communities of Surprise and Arrowhead, Arizona. 

Jennifer earned her degrees from Grand Canyon University and Liberty University. Throughout her medical career, she has gained extensive experience in a variety of settings, including substance abuse, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD, as well as management of acute and chronic medical conditions. 

At 2nd Chance Treatment Center, Jennifer treats patients of all ages, from children through adults. She has a passion for treating patients with opioid use disorder and has experience providing evidence-based treatment with Suboxone® (buprenorphine/naloxone).  

In addition to working with her patients to improve their mental health, Jennifer also enjoys teaching. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the many wonders of Arizona with her family.

Rebecca Shaw, PMHNP- BC, is a caring, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who specializes in treating addiction and mental health disorders. She sees patients out of the Queen Creek and Gilbert, Arizona, offices of 2nd Chance. 

With over 10 years of experience in treating substance use and opiate use disorders, Rebecca is passionate about helping people who struggle with addiction and mental health find hope, recovery, and self-empowerment. Rebecca graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with her Masters in Nursing with a specialty in Psychiatric Mental Health. She received her BSN from Chamberlain University in 2012. 

For many years, Rebecca worked as the Director of Nursing for detox and inpatient facilities. She uses empathy and understanding to help people begin their journey into recovery while addressing relapse symptoms. She is experienced in treating young adults, adults, and geriatrics in both substance use and mental health treatment. 

As someone born and raised in Arizona, Rebecca has witnessed the growing need for increased access to mental health and addiction providers throughout the state. She is grateful to be of service and looks forward to helping people find hope and healing. 

Monica earned her RN degree from Gateway College and gained extensive experience working in various departments at local hospitals throughout Phoenix. She later attended the University of Phoenix, where she completed her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). After several years of practicing as an FNP and observing many of her patients struggle with mental health conditions, she pursued further education at Eastern Kentucky University, earning her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) degree.

A long-time Arizona resident, Monica has lived in Phoenix for 25 years. She believes in providing holistic care by addressing not only medical and mental health needs but also assessing socioeconomic barriers and stressors that impact overall well-being. Her goal is to help individuals overcome these challenges, fostering both mental and medical stability.

When Monica isn’t working, she enjoys reading, interior and landscape design, exercising, spending time outdoors, baking, cooking, crafting, traveling, and gardening. Her greatest joy comes from spending quality time with her children and family, often visiting Disney Parks or cheering on the Arizona Diamondbacks at baseball games.