Blake Smart, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Behavioral Health

Blake Smart, APRN, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. He grew up in Arkansas and earned his BSN from Marian University before completing his master’s at Maryville University. Blake has worked with patients across all areas of psychiatric care.

Blake began his nursing career when his family asked him to help care for his grandmother during her Alzheimer’s illness. That difficult but meaningful experience inspired him to become a nurse. He spent seven years in acute care, working in medical-surgical, dialysis, and inpatient psychiatry. Seeing the experiences of friends and family showed him how important accessible psychiatric care is. While medication can help, Blake also believes that physical and spiritual well-being are important for mental health.

Psychiatry looks at the whole person, bringing together physical, mental, social, and spiritual aspects. Whole Person Healthcare means that all these areas—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relationships, and lifestyle—are connected and affect each other. If one area is ignored, the others can suffer. Blake often tells patients that symptoms do not define them. Symptoms come and go, like changes in the weather. Instead of saying, “I am an anxious person,” he suggests saying, “I am facing a temporary struggle; this too will pass.” His goal is to help people live healthy, balanced lives.

“Psychiatry is one area of healthcare that is truly holistic; it combines the physical, biopsychosocial, and spiritual aspects of a person. Being a psychiatric provider is a truly unique opportunity to promote and improve complete person care.” Blake Smart

Blake joined think because the organization believes in treating health as a whole. This allows him to work closely with other specialists and improve care together, rather than treating mental health on its own.

He looks forward to supporting patients as they work toward complete well-being. One story that stands out to him is Metallica’s documentary Some Kind of Monster, which showed that even “invincible,” larger-than-life people face everyday struggles like fame, anger, depression, and addiction, and use long-term psychotherapy. It reminded him that everyone needs care sometimes, and that working honestly on mental health shows strength, not weakness.

Blake enjoys running, hiking, biking, and playing different stringed instruments. He has been a musician for over 20 years. He has good memories of living near the Ozarks in Arkansas, where he spent time hiking, biking, and rock climbing. He still hopes to visit two more continents: Australia and Antarctica.

Insurance and Coverage

View insurance networks accepted by Think Whole Person Healthcare.

Licensed to practice medicine in: Nebraska
This provider has met the requirements to practice medicine in these states. To schedule a telehealth visit with this provider, you must be physically located within one of these states.