Collage of four women of different ages and ethnicities. First woman is elderly with gray hair smiling, second woman is young African American with braided hair, third woman has shoulder-length dark hair and is wearing a rainbow-striped top, fourth woman is a mother holding and kissing a baby.

Thoughtful psychiatry, used with care.

OptiMind reflects a belief that “optimal” mental health care is not about maximizing medication or eliminating every symptom. It’s about using psychiatric tools carefully and appropriately—when they genuinely help—to reduce suffering and support stability over time.

Integrative, individualized psychiatric care for adults, with a primary focus on women navigating midlife, reproductive, and hormonal transitions. Grounded in evidence-based psychiatry and shaped by the clinical judgment and pattern recognition that develop through years of close, attentive practice.

At OptiMind, care begins with listening—both to symptoms and to the context in which they arise. Treatment decisions are informed by science, guided by experience, and adjusted over time based on your feelings and functionality. 

Areas of focus

  • Perimenopause and menopause mood worsening

  • Pregnancy and postpartum mental health

  • Parenting-related stress and identity shifts

  • Anxiety, depression, OCD, and mood disorders

Do you recognize any of these?

  • You want a coherent explanation for your experience

  • You need to know if your feelings are “normal”, situational, hormonal, or something else

  • You are afraid you are “losing it” and you want to be taken seriously

  • You are looking for guidance without having to argue, research, or advocate constantly

  • You want a clinician who knows when something matters-and when it doesn’t

These types of concerns are common during periods of emotional change—and they deserve careful attention.

How I work

Psychiatry at OptiMind combines structured medical evaluation with careful attunement to patterns that don’t always appear on a checklist.

This may include:

  • Comprehensive psychiatric assessment

  • Medication management, when appropriate

  • Mind–body and lifestyle-informed strategies

  • Coordination with therapy or other supports

  • Selective use of labs, supplements, or genetic testing

Not every tool is used for every person. Decisions are made using both evidence and clinical judgment, with ongoing reassessment rather than fixed protocols.

Who this practice is not for

OptiMind may not be the right fit if you are looking for:

  • Immediate answers without thoughtful evaluation

  • Medication prescribed by default or on a rigid schedule

  • Care driven solely by algorithms or symptom checklists

  • Guaranteed outcomes or rapid transformation

  • Therapy-only services without psychiatric involvement

If you’re looking for a single answer by the end of one visit, you may be frustrated.

About Lisa Hardy, PMHNP

I’m Lisa Hardy, a double board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife in Vermont.

My clinical background allows me to work at the intersection of mental health, hormones, and life transitions. I bring both scientific training and experience-based insight to my work, recognizing that meaningful care often requires listening for what doesn’t fit neatly into diagnostic categories.

I created OptiMind to offer psychiatric care that is grounded, humane, and realistic—care that respects complexity rather than rushing to conclusions.

Next steps

I offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation to determine whether working together feels like a good fit.


Become a New Patient
A woman with curly red hair, glasses, and a slight smile wearing a light-colored blazer over a white top against a dark background.

About Lisa Hardy, PMHNP

I’m Lisa Hardy, a double board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Midwife.

My clinical background allows me to work at the intersection of mental health, hormones, and life transitions. I bring both scientific training and experience-based insight to my work, recognizing that meaningful care often requires listening for what doesn’t fit neatly into diagnostic categories.

I created OptiMind to offer psychiatric care that is grounded, humane, and realistic—care that respects complexity rather than rushing to conclusions.