Christine “Steen” Aye, PMHNP-BC, CMSRN 

What brought you into this field?

I have been working in healthcare since I was 16 years old, starting out as a caregiver before enlisting in the Air National Guard as a medic and EMT. I eventually became a Registered Nurse and officer in the U.S. Air Force, a path that carried me through a deployment to Afghanistan and, later, into the intense environment of the ICU during the pandemic. I loved the fast-paced intensity and performed well under pressure, but what I truly valued most were the deep, human bonds I forged with my patients and their families during their most vulnerable moments.

However, operating in high-stakes environments for so long comes with a human cost. Through the trials of the pandemic and major shifts and trauma in my own personal life, I found myself experiencing firsthand what I had seen so often in my patients: the profound, exhausting effects of unaddressed trauma on one’s sense of self. It became clear to me that nobody goes through life unscathed, and I realized how incredibly difficult it can be to find a provider you can truly relate to—someone who understands high-stress environments, systemic burnout, and the weight of deep-seated trauma.

That realization changed everything. It became undeniable to me that there is absolutely no health without mental health, prompting me to pivot my path away from anesthesia to dedicate my life to mental wellness. Today, as a PMHNP and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) candidate, I believe that healing happens through authentic connection. I bring both my clinical background and my own genuine human experience into the room, deeply committed to being the relatable, grounded, and validating advocate that so many people are searching for.