More Than a Prescription: A Conversation with Erin Risser, PMHNP

Addiction recovery is rarely just about the substance. For many patients at Hudson Behavioral Health, healing also means confronting depression, anxiety, trauma, or bipolar disorder alongside their substance use. Erin Risser, the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) at Hudson’s Outpatient Center, sits at the intersection of that care. In this interview, she shares what led her into psychiatric nursing, how she talks patients through their hesitations around medication, and why she believes medication is only one part of a much larger recovery.

What first drew you to psychiatric nursing, and what led you specifically into addiction/mental health care?

Erin’s path began on a cardiac step-down unit, where she worked as a registered nurse. It was there that she first noticed how often physical health and mental health overlapped.

“I noticed that a lot of my patients also had mental health issues,” she said. “As time went on, I realized there was a great need for both nurses and providers in mental health.”

After six years in cardiac care, she made the switch to psychiatric nursing. Substance abuse work followed soon after once she recognized the same tremendous need in that field. For Erin, the pull was also personal.

“I have several family members who have battled substance abuse issues,” she said.

What does having a PMHNP on staff add to the range of care Hudson can offer patients?

According to Erin, it removes a major barrier to care. “Our patients benefit from the team-based care here, which has multiple healthcare professionals in an interdisciplinary milieu.”

“Having a PMHNP offers patients the ability to receive psychiatric diagnosis and medication management without having to look elsewhere for another provider,” she said.

It also solves a very practical problem. “This service also provides patients with the convenience of having their medication prescribed and delivered to their home instead of having to worry about how and when they will obtain them.”

What mental health conditions do you see most often alongside substance use disorder in your patients?

“The most common mental illnesses treated in the OMHC are major depression disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder,” Erin said.

Some patients are hesitant about psychiatric medication in general. How do you talk them through that?

Erin points to stigma as the root of that hesitation.

“Mental health medications, much like mental illness itself, has a stigma surrounding it. Unfortunately, this is very common in many cultures and in the general public.”

Her approach is rooted in education. “I spend time with the patients educating them on the fact that mental illness is a real health issue, just like physical illness. I make sure they understand that just like physical illnesses are medicated and successfully treated, so are psychiatric disorders.”

What role does medication play in someone’s larger recovery, versus therapy, community, and other supports?

“Medication helps alter brain chemistry and bring relief to the patients by managing acute symptoms,” Erin explained. “Psychotropic medication is especially helpful in reducing stress, depression, and anxiety. It also aids with cravings and insomnia.”

For patients facing both mental health and substance use disorders, she says medication can be foundational.

“Medication is key to helping them achieve and maintain sobriety while stabilizing their mental health.”

But she’s quick to point out it isn’t the whole picture. “Non-medication treatments such as therapy and community are just as important, if not more, since they help the patients learn coping skills within themselves to overcome obstacles in their lives.”

What’s a misconception people have about psychiatric medication or mental illness that you find yourself correcting often?

“There is a popular misconception that people can overcome mental illness on their own,” Erin said. “I have heard many people, including those in healthcare, say, ‘just get over it.'”

She sees this as one of the most important gaps in public understanding.

“Although the world seems to be learning more about mental illness, many people still need to realize that mental illness is the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is a legitimate health problem in which patients need individualized treatment plans in order to achieve the best outcomes.”

Is there a moment with a patient that reminded you why you do this work?

“I have moments like this all the time, which is why I do what I do,” Erin said.

She recalled one patient in particular who had hit rock bottom. “They didn’t want to get out of bed, eat, or live. After working with this patient for a year and a half, this person is now living in their own place, helping in the community, and genuinely happy with life.”

For Erin, moments like these are the reason the work matters. “There is no greater feeling than helping someone realize that they are worth something, they are here for a reason, and they can do anything they want to with the right mindset.”

Medication management is often misunderstood as a standalone fix, but as Erin’s reflections make clear, it’s one part of a much larger, individualized approach to healing. At Hudson, treating mental health and substance use disorder together, with compassion, education, and the right medication in place, gives patients a real path forward.