Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Anjali PillaiDNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric care across the lifespan — grounded in eight years of nursing practice and a doctorate focused on trauma, adversity, and the whole person behind every diagnosis.

  • Connecticut-licensed APRN
  • Outpatient & community psychiatry
  • Telehealth-certified
  • Pediatric to geriatric
Portrait of Anjali Pillai

About

A clinician who treats the whole person

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice–prepared APRN. My path to psychiatry runs through eight years of progressive nursing — critical care, neurology, rehabilitation, women's health, and interventional pain management — followed by more than 700 hours of specialized psychiatric training across the lifespan, from children and adolescents to older adults.

I have hands-on experience in psychiatric assessment and diagnosis, de-escalation and crisis intervention, individual and group psychotherapy, and psychopharmacologic management of mood, anxiety, trauma-related, substance use, and psychotic disorders, in outpatient, school-based, and community health settings. My care is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.

My doctoral scholarly project addressed Adverse Childhood Experiences and social determinants of health in a federally qualified health center, and I am actively pursuing advanced training in EMDR.

Currently seeking outpatient PMHNP roles in Connecticut, with multi-state licensure (NY, NJ, MI) in progress. Telehealth-certified and set up for remote practice.

Areas of clinical expertise

Assessment, therapy, and medication management

  • Psychiatric assessment & diagnosis
  • De-escalation & crisis intervention
  • Trauma-informed care
  • Individual & group psychotherapy
  • CBT · TF-CBT · DBT
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Mood, anxiety & psychotic disorders
  • Substance use & MOUD
  • Suicide risk assessment
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Mindfulness-based interventions
  • SDOH screening (PRAPARE)
  • Lifespan care (pediatric–geriatric)
  • Culturally responsive care
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration

Psychiatric clinical training

700 supervised hours across the lifespan

Outpatient Psychiatry & Behavioral Health

600 hours

Southwest Community Health Center · Bridgeport, CT · May 2024 – May 2025

  • Psychiatric care across the lifespan — children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients — in a federally qualified community health center.
  • Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations; management of mood, anxiety, psychotic, personality, eating, trauma-related, and substance use disorders.
  • Evidence-based treatment plans integrating psychopharmacology, individual psychotherapy, and social determinants of health.
  • Interdisciplinary case conferences with prescribers, therapists, and care coordinators.

School-Based Mental Health

100 hours

Theodore Roosevelt School (K–8) · Bridgeport, CT · Sept – Dec 2024

  • School-based mental health services for elementary and middle-school students using Trauma-Focused CBT.
  • Addressed bullying, low self-esteem, and the development of healthy coping skills.

Professional nursing experience

Eight years at the bedside and beyond

  1. Jan 2025 – Present

    Interventional Pain Management Staff RN

    Hartford HealthCare · Westport, CT

    • De-escalation and therapeutic communication for patients experiencing anger, anxiety, and impaired coping related to chronic pain.
    • Mindfulness-based education — breathing and relaxation techniques — for stress, pain, and emotional distress.
    • Whole-person care addressing social determinants of health; referrals and coordination with psychiatric providers and therapists.
    • Pre-, intra-, and post-procedure care across the interventional pain continuum; documentation in Epic.
  2. Sept – Nov 2024

    Immunization RN

    CVS · Connecticut

  3. Oct 2023 – May 2024

    Registered Nurse – Women's Health

    Women's Health Practice · Trumbull, CT

  4. May – Sept 2023

    RN Clinical Navigator

    Ayer Neuroscience Institute, Spine Wellness Center · Westport, CT

    • Guided patients and families through diagnosis and treatment; coordinated referrals, insurance appeals, and FMLA/disability paperwork to reduce barriers to care.
  5. June – Dec 2022

    Unit RN Manager

    Lord Chamberlain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center · Stratford, CT

    • Led RNs, LPNs, and CNAs on a 60-bed short-term rehabilitation unit; drove daily interdisciplinary meetings and mentored nursing staff.
  6. Nov 2021 – June 2022

    Registered Nurse – ICU

    St. Vincent's Medical Center · Bridgeport, CT

    • Bedside care for critically ill patients in a 15-bed medical, surgical, cardiac, and neurological ICU; emotional support to patients and families in acute crisis alongside the palliative care team.
  7. Nov 2019 – Nov 2021

    Registered Nurse – Orthopedics / Neurology

    Norwalk Hospital · Norwalk, CT

    • Cared for patients experiencing alcohol and drug withdrawal, using therapeutic communication to prevent behavioral escalation; holistic care addressing psychological, social, and environmental factors.
  8. Summer 2018

    Nurse Intern – PACU

    St. Vincent's Medical Center · Bridgeport, CT

Education, licensure & certifications

Credentials

Education

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Fairfield University, Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies · 2022 – 2026 · GPA 3.98
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Fairfield University · 2019 · Dean's List

Honors & memberships

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing
Mu Chi Chapter · inducted March 2026
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA)
Member
VA Scholar Award
2019

Licensure & certifications

PMHNP-BC — Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) · 2026
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
State of Connecticut
Registered Nurse (RN)
State of Connecticut
Multi-state licensure in progress
APRN/PMHNP licensure in New York, New Jersey, and Michigan
Telehealth Certificate & Training
Telehealth.org certificate · Nursing Education on Wellness and Telehealth (NEWT), HRSA ANEW Grant, Fairfield University
ACLS & BLS for Healthcare Providers
American Heart Association

Languages & systems

Languages
English · Malayalam (fluent)
EHR & tools
Epic · Cerner · PointClickCare · PRAPARE · NIH Stroke Scale · standardized psychiatric rating and screening measures

Scholarship

Doctoral project & presentations

Pillai, A. (2026). Increasing clinician knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and social determinants of health using the PRAPARE tool. Doctoral scholarly project, Fairfield University; implemented at Southwest Community Health Center, Bridgeport, CT.

Pillai, A. (January 2026). Increasing clinician knowledge of ACEs and social determinants of health using the PRAPARE tool. Presented at Southwest Community Health Center, Bridgeport, CT.

Continuing education & community

Ongoing learning and service

Trauma & PTSD

  • EMDR to treat PTSD; navigating complexities in EMDR delivery
  • Trauma-informed approach for youth involved in multiple systems
  • Integrated treatments for PTSD & SUD
  • Trauma, PTSD, and perinatal health

Psychotherapy

  • CBT for psychosis (CBTp) primer
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Sensory modulation approaches to reduce restraint
  • DBT resiliency skills group facilitation

Substance use & MOUD

  • PCSS Medications for Opioid Use Disorder series
  • Buprenorphine induction in the era of fentanyl
  • SBIRT in primary care
  • Psychiatric comorbidities and OUD

Crisis & special populations

  • QPR and Mental Health First Aid suicide prevention
  • Crisis Text Line volunteer training
  • Preventing ACEs; racism, socioeconomic status, and mental health
  • ADHD and autism spectrum treatment in children and adolescents

Community service

  • Crisis Text Line — crisis intervention and de-escalation for people in acute emotional distress
  • Boys & Girls Club — co-facilitated DBT resiliency skills groups for youth
  • NICU volunteer — comfort and support for families and nursing staff

Contact

Let's talk

Open to outpatient and telehealth PMHNP opportunities in Connecticut and beyond. The quickest way to reach me is email or LinkedIn.