Meet Our Team
Meet the providers behind Wanderlust Psychiatry, offering online psychiatric care
Carli VanDenHouten
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner &
Founder of Wanderlust Psychiatry
Hi, I’m Carli, a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner based in the Pacific Northwest.
My educational background includes two undergraduate degrees and a master’s degree in nursing specializing in psychiatric mental health. Over more than 15 years, my work has taken me across many areas of healthcare and human services—from social work supporting people with developmental disabilities to primary care offices, medical-surgical and inpatient hospital care, outpatient psychiatry, intensive outpatient programs and community mental health.
Working across both medical and mental health settings has shaped how I understand the connection between the mind and body. This informs the way I approach psychiatric care today. I tailor care to the individual—not the other way around.
Together we’ll create an approach that fits your life, adjusting along the way as your needs change. We’ll discuss potential benefits, risks, side effects, and alternatives. If something isn’t working as hoped, there’s never anything to apologize for—it simply gives us more information to thoughtfully adjust your care.
You can expect education, encouragement, and support throughout the process. My goal is for you to leave each visit understanding not only what our plan is, but why we’re choosing it. Finding the right treatment can take patience, and we’ll continue learning together what works best for you.
Ruthy Lindvall
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Hi, I’m Ruthy, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and lifelong Oregonian. I grew up eight miles outside the small logging town of Philomath, Oregon, and graduated from Gonzaga University. While at Gonzaga, I was honored to become a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society.
I have worked in healthcare since 2014 and have specialized in psychiatry and mental health since 2016. I became a registered nurse in 2018, and each step of my career has strengthened my commitment to helping people feel heard, supported, and hopeful about what lies ahead.
Growing up without reliable access to healthcare—much less mental healthcare—shaped my journey toward becoming a mental health nurse practitioner. I want to help people heal so that the darkness of the past doesn’t continue to cast a shadow over the present, while helping illuminate a path toward the future they want for themselves.
I am passionate about increasing access to mental healthcare for everyone, contributing to a future with zero suicide, and creating a safe, affirming space where LGBTQIA2S+ people can openly share their stories and build the lives they dream of.
My own lived experiences with PTSD, anxiety, and depression have also deepened my understanding of how meaningful—and how valuable—the decision to invest in our mental health can be.
Outside of work, I share my life with three orange fur babies: Bellatrix, Gryffindor, and Albus—all dearly named before we knew J.K. Rowling was not 100% cool! I also couldn’t imagine life without coffee, music, nature, and people.
Bernadette
Staff Member
Hi, I’m Bernadette!
After spending many years in social services, I learned just how important compassionate, high-quality mental health care can be. I also discovered that I genuinely enjoy the technical side of supporting a practice and helping great providers do what they do best.
My favorite thing about Wanderlust Psychiatry is how genuinely our providers care about their patients. I truly believe in the care they provide, and I’m grateful to support them behind the scenes.
I now work here part-time supporting our providers and patients. I help manage the administrative details so our providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time focused on you. You may hear from me regarding scheduling, billing, insurance, medication refill requests and pharmacy questions, forms and paperwork, telehealth support, community resources or care coordination.