Inspiring Conversations with Alysha Woods of Rooted Psychiatry and Wellness, Rooted PMHNP Mentorship, and Rooted Wellness Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alysha Woods.

Hi Alysha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My passion for pediatric mental health and trauma began early in my career as a registered nurse and wanting to do more for my patients led me to go back to school to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. After working across a variety of settings with youth, I opened my own private practice serving patients in California navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD, and neurodivergence — combining holistic care with evidence-based western medicine.

One of the greatest joys of this journey has been mentoring over 250 psychiatric NPs across the country as they build patient-focused, heart-forward private practices of their own. I’m especially passionate about lifting up small businesses owned by people of color and queer folks — because diverse voices in mental health leadership make our whole field stronger.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has absolutely been a rough road. Just six months after opening my practice, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in my right thigh. What followed was three years of treatment — multiple surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy — and ultimately a leg amputation that finally put me into remission.

I am incredibly grateful to be on the other side of that. And through it all, I was reminded of just how much owning my own business meant to me — having the flexibility to work less when I needed to care for myself was essential. More than anything, though, it was the work itself (and of course my loved ones) that kept me fighting. Knowing that what I do is meaningful, that my patients and mentees needed me, gave me something powerful to hold onto.

We’ve been impressed with Rooted Psychiatry and Wellness, Rooted PMHNP Mentorship, and Rooted Wellness Center, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to rooted, whole-person care — and that vision lives across three interconnected businesses.

Rooted Psychiatry & Wellness is my mental health practice focused on children, teens, and young adults. We specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, and neurodivergence, blending holistic approaches with evidence-based western medicine to meet each patient where they are. We believe healing isn’t one-size-fits-all, and our care reflects that.

Rooted PMHNP Mentorship is where I get to pour into the next generation of psychiatric nurse practitioners. We support new psych NP business owners in building practices that lead with excellent patient care — not just the business side of things. What sets us apart is our community and relationship-based approach. We’re not just handing over templates; we’re walking alongside people as they grow.

Rooted Wellness Center is something I’m especially proud of — a beautiful craftsman home in Old Town Monrovia that we’ve transformed into a warm, welcoming wellness space. It’s home to a wonderful community of mental health professionals, and we’re actively expanding our offerings for the greater LA community, including sound baths, meditation classes, and more. It also serves as the home base for our mentorship and education programs, which makes it a truly special hub for everything we’re building.

Together, these three branches reflect one mission: rooted, compassionate care — for patients, for clinicians, and for the community.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is people — and surviving cancer made that clearer than ever. Going through three years of treatment taught me that relationships are everything, and that we are not meant to do hard things alone. That belief shapes how I mentor, how I practice, and how I show up every day.

Whole-person care matters deeply to me because I lived it. Healing is not just clinical — it’s emotional, relational, and deeply personal.

And representation — in mental health and in entrepreneurship — sits close to my heart. When people of color and queer folks see themselves reflected in leadership and business ownership, it expands what feels possible. I want to be part of building that world, one practice, one patient, one relationship at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rootedpsychiatry.com | www.rootedpmhnpmentorship.com | www.rootedwellnesscenters.com
• Instagram: @rootedpmhnpmentorship
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rootedpmhnpmentorship