Improving your mental health is an important journey, and it can be filled with life-changing questions. The professionals at Novus Behavioral Health are here to help you find some of the answers.
Leading the team at Novus is founder Scarlett Mulligan, PA-C. In this Q&A, Mulligan shares how Novus got started and what they can do for you. Also, Novus is hiring! Click here to learn more about joining the team.
Question: How did you end up pursuing a career in the mental health field?
Answer: Being a veteran has greatly influenced my decision to work in mental health. Veterans face greater mental health challenges and higher suicide rates than non veterans. I have witnessed numerous friends and colleagues struggle with the burden of mental illness. Additionally, engaging in a diverse array of medical environments – primary care, urgent care, orthopedics, emergency medicine and long-term care – I saw one factor consistently emerging as a significant determinant in my patients’ health outcomes: their mental well-being. Unfortunately, like numerous regions across the nation, Clarksville faced a scarcity of psychiatric specialists, leading to prolonged wait times for specialty care.
Q: Why is mental health important to our overall health?
A: The correlation between mental health and our overall well-being is undeniable. Our mental health profoundly influences the choices we make every day. Creating and maintaining mental wellness allows us to assess situations objectively and prioritize our needs effectively, while living with mental illness can lead to poorer decision-making and neglect of self-care. Lifestyle choices, such as diet, exercise, and stress management, are deeply intertwined with our mental state. Living with untreated mental health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety and depression often exacerbate unhealthy behaviors. Recognizing this relationship empowers us to prioritize mental health and adopt strategies that promote resilience, which facilitates better decision-making and overall well-being.
Q: What do you enjoy most about helping people with mental health?
A: Raised in a family impacted by intergenerational trauma, abuse and addiction, I found myself repeating similar patterns as a young adult. After graduating from Clarksville High, I struggled in college and sought a new direction by enlisting in the Air Force at the age of 24. This decision provided the stability and structure I needed to start my recovery journey from a challenging upbringing.
Over time, I have moved from merely surviving to actively creating a fulfilling life for myself and my family. Novus allows me to draw from my lived experiences to foster a supportive workplace for our team, contributing to the well-being of our community. Having been through this transformative journey with the support of others, I find great fulfillment in paying it forward. My personal experiences enable me to empathize deeply with those facing similar struggles, offering genuine connection and hope as they work toward a better future.
Q: What led you to start a clinic here in Clarksville?
A: After the Air Force and PA school, my family and I returned to Clarksville in 2007. With mental illness rates continuing to climb, I witnessed the detrimental outcomes of untreated mental health conditions in the ER: suicide, overdoses and long wait times for hospitalization. I knew these tragic situations could be prevented with increased access to quality care. Instead of continuing to watch the problem get worse … I committed to be part of the solution. In 2018, I made the decision to create Novus Behavioral Health. Despite grappling with apprehensions about entrepreneurship, the desire to contribute to addressing this critical issue eclipsed my fears of failure. As the practice flourished, I brought on additional providers to meet the growing demand. Eventually, I observed many of our patients forced to travel to Nashville to access treatments such as TMS, ketamine and Spravato. In 2023, I took the initiative to integrate these innovative options into our offerings, ensuring our community had access to the latest treatment modalities without the burden of traveling.
Throughout this journey, I have been fortunate to have the unwavering support and guidance of two remarkable mentors, David Boles, DO, and Barbara Wise, MD. Their mentorship has been instrumental in helping me navigate the complexities of both business ownership and clinical practice, empowering me to make meaningful contributions to our community. Without them, there would not be a Novus.
Q: What are some things that set Novus apart from other local mental health providers?
A: There are two things I believe set us apart from other practices in Clarksville: commitment to our community and employees, and our range of services.
As a veteran, a clinician business owner and a former medical assistant, I have a unique understanding of what our staff is facing daily. If I do my part as an employer to create a healthy work environment, this will naturally result in higher quality care for our patients and veterans. At the end of the work day, I want our team to be able to go home knowing their work has made a difference in people’s lives and that they did not have to sacrifice their well-being to do so. My leadership philosophy involves taking my passion for patient care and transferring it to team care.
Our range of services goes beyond medication management. Extended appointment times allow space for meaningful connection between patient and provider. Additionally, we are committed to providing the latest treatment options available such as ketamine infusions, Spravato and TMS. I’m excited that we will continue to expand into psychiatric subspecialties later this year including an integrative psychiatry specialist and a child and adolescent specialist.
It’s such an honor to be here, and I look forward to continuing to serve Clarksville and surrounding communities.
For more
Novus Behavioral Health is growing and is in need of an additional provider! If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please click here or email Scarlett to discuss further, scarlett@novusbh.com.
To find out more about Novus’ services, visit the Novus Behavioral Health ketamine therapy information page, call 931-820-0242, email hello@novusbh.com or visit their office at 556 Fire Station Road, Suite A.