Dr. Karen DeCocker, DNP, PMHNP, CNM

Dr. Karen DeCocker is deeply committed to advancing safe, evidence-based, and accessible mental health care. She is passionate about expanding treatment options for people whose symptoms have not improved with traditional therapy or medication alone. Through her leadership and direct clinical work, she strives to strengthen continuity of care and support patients in finding treatments that can truly change their lives.

As a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife with 25+ years of clinical experience, Dr. DeCocker focuses on comprehensive intake assessments and ongoing care for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, PTSD, and symptoms related to traumatic brain injury (TBI). At Stella Mental Health, she specializes in identifying whether advanced interventional treatments may provide meaningful relief, including Spravato® (esketamine) nasal spray, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Dual Sympathetic Reset of the Stellate Ganglion Block (DSR SGB), ketamine infusion therapy, integration therapy, and medication management.

Dr. DeCocker began her healthcare career in 1997 and became a nurse practitioner in 2007 after a decade of hospital-based nursing. She has spent her career at the intersection of innovation and compassionate mental health care by helping patients understand their symptoms, explore treatment pathways, and make informed decisions grounded in biological, psychological, medical, and social factors. Serving as the Vice President of Clinical Services at Stella Mental Health, she leads the organization’s intake assessment team and helps shape clinical protocols for advanced interventional treatments.