New Behavioral Health Team Members Reflect on First Few Months in their Roles
The new Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioners Janet Hunter, PMHNP, and Angela Taylor, PMHNP, joined Tara Fink, PMHNP, last fall in expanding behavioral health care services in northeast Iowa. Both Janet and Angela have many years of nursing experience and have seen the great need for behavioral health care during their careers, which is why they both went back to school to earn their nurse practitioner degrees in behavioral health care.
Both of these new providers now have nearly six months of caring for behavioral health patients in northeast Iowa and continue to rapidly build their practices.
Angela Taylor, PMHNP, spent nearly the last 25 years as a nurse at the Regional Medical Center in Manchester working in a variety of roles. She chose to become a PMHNP to provide a positive impact and improve the quality of life for individuals in the community.
“Thank you for welcoming me into your community! I am pleased to promote and offer mental health services in Northeast Iowa, ” states Angela Taylor, PMHNP. “My goal is to provide guidance and tools to enhance your wellbeing whether it be assisting you through a difficult event or management of mental illness. We will work as a team to find a plan specialized just for you.”
Janet Hunter spent 20+ years at Luther College, addressing student health issues where mental health always emerged as the most pressing need. She saw students waiting months, sometimes a year, to see a provider for medication management. By then, that delay often meant they weren’t able to thrive academically or personally and had to step away from school.
“It has been incredibly rewarding to watch this practice grow and to walk alongside people during some of the most important moments in their lives. Each day, I’m reminded why I chose this work—to help people feel seen, supported, and strengthened. Whether someone is navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, or simply trying to find more balance, I consider it a privilege to be part of their healing,” explains Janet Hunter, PMHNP. “Helping people reconnect with their resilience is one of the greatest joys of this profession. I love watching individuals discover new tools, gain clarity, and begin to feel like themselves again. The progress my clients make—sometimes in big steps, sometimes in small but meaningful shifts—continues to inspire me. My goal is to meet people exactly where they are and supporting them so they know they don’t have to do it alone.”
Both Angela and Janet encourage patients of any ages who are struggling, even if things just don’t feel quite right, to reach out to them and to know they don’t have to navigate things on their own.
Patients can self-refer to see Angela, Janet or Tara by calling the Postville Clinic at 563-864-7221 or the Waukon Clinic at 563-568-5530.
