A Beacon of Hope from a Clinician and Caregiver

Aisha Addison BSN, MSN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC At the age of nine, Aisha watched her father collapse on the floor fighting for his life. As he lay there, she peered through the stairwell and stared helplessly as any 9-year-old would. Minutes felt like hours. She sat frozen on the stairwell watching her father on the floor in distress. Finally, EMS arrived. Her father was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. He was 30 years old. It was at that moment Aisha learned not to take life for granted, and at a very young age she knew she wanted to help people. Over the next few years, she secretly battled with childhood depression, anxiety, and PTSD. As a teenager, she realized the positive impact and found how his death had strengthened her. She set out to make her desire to care for others a reality. She obtained her CNA in 1999, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2004, and her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2010. In 2020 she became the primary caretaker for her paternal grandmother who was battling end-stage dementia. Being a solo caregiver was one of the hardest roles she had ever taken on in her entire life. On top of that, the COVID pandemic became in full effect and there was no respite anywhere. She learned firsthand the physical and mental demands of being a caregiver. Through blogs and other online forums, she also acquired knowledge of how many other caregivers were struggling with insomnia, depression, anxiety, grief, and more. Although she had over 20 years of experience in the field of helping families with their physical health, she realized once again that she needed to do more for families and their mental health. Aisha earned her Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner degree in 2022. Now with over 23 years in the field of nursing and a passion for helping seniors, Aisha has a plethora of knowledge from both life and educational experiences. She has helped thousands of families manage their physical health and formed two organizations one being One stop wellness MD, which is a one-stop shop for your physical and mental health needs, and another entitled Quality of Life Psychiatry, dedicated to struggling caregivers in need of mental health support. Aisha is the definition of turning a heartbreaking experience into a beacon of hope and a support system for others that may have endured the same.