About The Practice
Free State Health and Wellness is a mental health practice in Frederick, Maryland.
Founder Melissa Ward, a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, wants to help patients take care of their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Founded in 2022, the practice provides a safe, compassionate space where Melissa can customize a plan for each patient, combining the appropriate medication management and supportive therapy.
Melissa Ward, CRNP
Melissa Ward, founding member of Free State Health and Wellness, is passionate about customized patient care, professional medicine management, and helping people take care of themselves in the modern world.
Melissa attended Ohio University where she obtained her Bachelor’s in Psychology, followed by her Bachelor’s in Nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina.
She worked on the oncology unit at University of Maryland Medical Center, and then earned her Master of Science degree in Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
She then worked in primary care for 2 years before returning to school to earn a postgraduate degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Johns Hopkins University.
Melissa is a dual certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. This dual certification allows her to provide comprehensive care for both the mind and body. Melissa has experience working in primary care, an outpatient mental health clinic, and a crisis stabilization center.
Melissa’s practice, Free State Health and Wellness, accepts children, adolescents, adults, and patients with geriatric mental health conditions. She has experience with an array of mental health conditions including ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders.
Melissa’s goal is to care for her patients in a safe environment and to provide each one with individual medicine management and supportive therapy.
EDUCATION
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Bachelor’s in Psychology—Ohio University
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Bachelor’s in Nursing—Medical University of South Carolina
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Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner—University of Maryland School of Nursing
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Postgraduate degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner—Johns Hopkins University
CREDENTIALS
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American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Family Nurse Practitioner
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American Nurse Credentialing Center, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Asia Douglas, CRNP
Asia Douglas specializes in medication management for multiple mental health disorders. She is passionate about the overall care of the whole individual with a focus on mental, physical, and emotional wellness.
Asia received her bachelor’s in nursing from Coppin State University in Maryland. She went on to work at the University of Maryland Medical Center in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for 5 years before obtaining her Master’s in Nursing for Family Nurse practitioners from Walden University. Asia worked for 3 years at the CVS Minute Clinic where she treated patients of all ages for multiple health related and primary care conditions. During her work as a Family Nurse practitioner, she returned to school to receive her certificate in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Wilkes University.
As a dual certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Asia is committed to closing the gap between physical and mental health through comprehensive, safe, and effective care and management.
Asia accepts adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients with all mental health conditions to include Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Personality Disorders, and substance use disorders. She specialized in medication management and supportive therapy for these conditions.
EDUCATION
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Bachelor’s in Nursing—Coppin State University
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Master’s of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner—Walden University
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Postgraduate degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner—Wilkes University
CREDENTIALS
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American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Family Nurse Practitioner
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American Nurse Credentialing Center, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Sarah-Catherine Martins, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Sarah is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner committed to meticulously providing holistic care to individuals across the lifespan. Her approach is deeply rooted in her core belief that the mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected. As such, she values the role of faith in the healing process and engages in open, respectful discussions with her patients about their spiritual needs. This comprehensive perspective ensures that her patients receive care that addresses all aspects of their well-being.
Sarah graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and went on to receive her Nursing Master in Science from George Washington University. Her 7 years of nursing experience began in the neuroscience ICU where she fell in love with the intricacies of the brain. From there, she moved into a role in a medical ICU where she realized just how interconnected the mind and the body are, as well as the profound need for timely, compassionate, and holistic care for individuals with mental health disorders. Seeking to fill this need and move into a clinical position that would allow her opportunities to form strong alliances with her clients, she graduated from a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program in 2024. Sarah continues her professional development by staying up to date on evidence-based treatments and by participating in professional organizations.
Sarah provides diagnosis, treatment, therapy, and referrals, for clients aged 6 and onward, with varying mental health needs, including: anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. She particularly enjoys engaging with youth and those with intellectual and developmental disorders.
EDUCATION
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Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing—Ohio University
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Master’s of Science in Nursing—Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing—George Washington University
CREDENTIALS
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American Nurses Credentialing Center, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner