Can a psychiatric nurse practitioner diagnose and prescribe?
Yes. In Florida a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) can evaluate you, diagnose a mental health condition, prescribe and manage medication, and provide therapy, for children through adults. If you have been referred to one, or found one while looking for an appointment, this page covers what that means for your care.
What the credential means for your care.
The training is graduate level.
A PMHNP holds a graduate nursing degree in psychiatric and mental health care. That training includes hundreds of supervised hours seeing patients.
Someone outside the practice checks it.
Board certified is not a title a provider gives themselves. The American Nurses Credentialing Center grants it, and the “-BC” on Emily Light, PMHNP-BC is what it looks like. Her Florida APRN license is public record, and you can look it up before you book.
The model comes out of nursing.
PMHNP training comes from nursing rather than medicine. In an appointment that means your history, your daily life, and what you want to change are part of the picture, not just a list of symptoms.
How a PMHNP compares with a psychiatrist.
Both PMHNPs and psychiatrists provide psychiatric care, but their training paths and approaches differ.
| PMHNP | Psychiatrist | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | BSN + MSN or DNP in Psychiatric-Mental Health | Medical school (MD/DO) + Psychiatry residency |
| Diagnose conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Manage treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Provide therapy | Yes; how often it is offered varies by practice | Yes; how often it is offered varies by practice |
| Training model | Holistic nursing model | Medical model |
| Ages treated | Lifespan (children through adults) | Varies by specialization |
If you were searching for an online psychiatrist in Florida.
That search returns nurse practitioners alongside physicians, so it is worth being plain about which one you have found. Emily Light is not a psychiatrist. She is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, PMHNP-BC, licensed in Florida.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, an MD or DO who completed a residency in psychiatry. A PMHNP-BC is an advanced practice registered nurse with a graduate degree in psychiatric and mental health care. In Florida both can evaluate you, diagnose a condition, prescribe and manage medication, and provide therapy. The table above sets out where the two differ.
In practice that means appointments by secure video from anywhere in Florida, for children, adolescents, and adults, with no referral needed to book. Coverage runs through Headway, which verifies your benefits and shows an estimated cost before you schedule. The insurance page lists the plans this practice accepts.
Common questions.
Have a question about scheduling, insurance, or what to expect? See the full FAQ.
Next step
Book your first visit.
Current openings are listed on Headway, along with your estimated cost before you book.
Emily is accepting new patients as of August 9, 2026.
This website is for informational and marketing purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.