Breaking the Stigma: How One Nurse Practitioner Is Changing the Face of Mental Health Care
In this episode of Inspire Synergy, The Best Podcast Host in the World Steve Cully sits down with LaTanya King, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and owner of Hope Life Behavioral and Wellness Services LLC and co-hosts Jah John and Razul Wallace to explore the realities of mental health treatment, addiction recovery, and breaking stigma in underserved communities.
Listen to Latonya’s full interview here.
Q&A: With LaTanya King, APRN
Steve Cully (Host): For those who don’t know, what exactly is an APRN and what kind of work do you do?
LaTanya King: APRN stands for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. My specialty is psychiatry — I’m a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, board-certified across the lifespan. That means I treat children, adults, and the elderly for a wide range of mental health conditions.
Steve: What inspired you to go into this field?
LaTanya: Honestly, I think this profession chose me. I grew up in a Caribbean and Southern household where mental health was very taboo. My mom suffered from untreated bipolar disorder and trauma. She became my inspiration — at first for the wrong reasons, because I wanted to “figure out what was wrong with her,” but ultimately, she made me realize how much we need better care and understanding in our communities.
Steve: There’s such a stigma around mental health, especially in minority communities. How do you help people overcome that?
LaTanya: I try to make access simple. People can come directly to me — no referral needed. We’ve made it easy to get an appointment online or through Psychology Today. And I remind people that it’s okay to ask for help. You’re not broken — you just need the right support.
Razul: That’s why we brought LaTanya into our work with the House of Changes. We started with housing for men in recovery, but we needed mental health professionals to help us expand into full wraparound services.
Steve: You’ve worked a lot with addiction. How do you approach that kind of treatment?
LaTanya: Addiction and mental health are deeply connected — you can’t treat one without the other. I tell my patients all the time: “We’ve got to deal with the addiction first, then the trauma underneath.” Recovery is lifelong. Relapse doesn’t mean failure; it’s part of the disease. I never judge or abandon a patient for slipping — I meet them where they are but don’t leave them there.
Steve: That’s powerful. What about the disorders you see most often today?
LaTanya: Depression is still number one, followed closely by anxiety. But I’m seeing more neurodivergent issues like ADHD and autism being brought forward — especially by adults who are finally realizing they’ve struggled their whole lives. And sleep disorders are a growing epidemic. Nobody can sleep anymore!
Steve: What advice do you give for sleep?
LaTanya: It’s all about routine — what we call sleep hygiene. Set a bedtime, avoid screens and caffeine before bed, don’t exercise too late, and keep your room dark and quiet. And remember: the mind and body can’t be separated. Chronic sleep problems can sometimes point to deeper medical or neurological issues that need to be ruled out.
Steve: You also talk openly about postpartum depression. How common is that, and what do you see?
LaTanya: Very common. It can start as “baby blues,” but if the sadness doesn’t lift, it can evolve into postpartum depression — or in rare cases, postpartum psychosis. I’ve treated that before, and it’s heartbreaking because those mothers lose touch with reality. It’s why early intervention and open dialogue are so important.
Steve: You mentioned that suicidal thoughts are something you deal with regularly.
LaTanya: Yes — every day. Having suicidal thoughts doesn’t always mean someone needs hospitalization. We look at whether the thoughts are passive or active and whether the person can stay safe. The goal is to create a safety plan, connect support systems, and normalize talking about it instead of hiding it.
Steve: You’ve got a very direct, no-nonsense approach with your patients.
LaTanya: (laughs) I do. I’m nonjudgmental — but I am judgmental in the sense that I hold people accountable. I tell my patients: I’ll meet you where you are, but I won’t leave you there. Mental health isn’t just about listening — it’s about building self-confidence, consistency, and trust. Sometimes, I literally go to a patient’s graduation or event because they have no one else to show up for them. That’s what Hope Life is all about — carrying hope for people until they find it again.
Jah: That’s what impressed us most about LaTanya — her dedication. She’s hands-on, day or night, and she meets people with compassion and realism.
Hope Life and the Future of Mental Health
Hope Life Behavioral and Wellness Services LLC, founded on LaTanya’s birthday in 2019, now has two APRNs and two therapists, with plans to expand to Florida and North Carolina. The practice offers both in-person and virtual care, emphasizing accessibility, compassion, and cultural awareness.
Steve: What’s next for you and Hope Life?
LaTanya: Expansion — not just of the business, but of the mission. We’re creating more spaces for people to get real, quality care, especially those who’ve been overlooked or underserved. Mental health care shouldn’t be a privilege; it should be accessible to everyone.
From her early days at DCF to running a growing private practice, LaTanya King embodies hope, honesty, and healing. Her partnership with the House of Changes represents what’s possible when communities come together to tackle mental health and addiction without stigma or judgment.
As she says best:
“I’ll meet you where you are — but I won’t leave you there.”
Don’t forget to check out the full Inspire Synergy podcast series here as we explore topics such as mental health, fatherhood, spiritual health, fitness and finances.