​​​Lea Brainerd is a dedicated healthcare provider with a profound passion for psychiatry and mental health. Originally hailing from Tennessee, her journey began in Dyersburg, continued through high school in Chattanooga, and culminated in a bachelor's degree in pre-PA and psychology from UT Chattanooga. With 13 years of experience as a medical assistant in diverse healthcare settings, Lea embarked on the path to becoming a healthcare provider. She initially pursued a counseling master's program before achieving her PA degree in July 2021.​​ 

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​​​Lea's commitment to making a difference in healthcare is deeply personal, influenced by her family's struggles with mental and physical illnesses, as well as her own experiences. Witnessing her mother's battle with Bipolar I Disorder, which tragically culminated in her passing due to breast cancer, profoundly impacted her. Additionally, losing her brother to suicide further fueled her determination to help others facing similar challenges.​​ 

​​​Believing in a holistic, integrated therapeutic approach to mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, Lea focuses on Functional Medicine and Wellness. Her goal is to empower individuals to discover their inner healer, fostering health, stability, joy, and meaningful connections.​​ 

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​​​As a PA, Lea has gained experience in various healthcare settings, including substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment, psychiatric medication management, ketamine integration therapy, and life/health coaching. She is a certified professional life coach, Reiki 1 practitioner, Human Design Coach, and holds a certificate of added qualifications in psychiatry. Currently enrolled in the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) certification training course, Lea's practice is centered on Functional Medicine and Brain Health, offering a range of services such as holistic wellness, lifestyle optimization, hormone replacement therapy, healthy weight management,  nutraceutical supplementation, brain health promotion, and more.​​ 

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​​​Lea's therapeutic approach incorporates modalities like DBT, CBT, Mindfulness, and eclectic methods such as the "Law of Attraction," rooted in Jungian and transpersonal philosophies. Working with ketamine for the past three years, she has a deep passion for ketamine therapy witnessing profound transformations in her clients, and within herself.  Lea’s  belief in a holistic approach to health and wellness focuses on addressing mind, body, and spiritual healing simultaneously and is  rooted in the quantum physics neurobiological view of health. Committed to providing whole-person care that delves into root causes, Lea stresses the importance of social connection and support in the healing process.​​ 

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​​​Outside of her professional endeavors, Lea finds solace and inspiration in dance, integrating it with therapeutic practices to support healing and well-being. Her holistic approach combines western, eastern, and energy medicine to craft personalized healing plans for her clients.​​