Katie C. Durden, DNP, PMHNP-BC

“I want my patients to feel understood and not judged. It’s important for them to know that their story matters, that we’ll work as partners toward improved mental health and healing.”

A board-certified and fellowship-trained psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner with a doctorate in her specialty, Katie Durden brings experience in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions affecting mental, emotional and behavioral health to Beaufort Memorial Sea Island Psychiatry. She is skilled in the use of supportive psychotherapy and other nonpharmacological and pharmacological therapies to manage such mood disorders as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder and has a particular interest in helping patients overcome the effects of past trauma on both mind and body.

Areas of Expertise

• Geriatric Mental Health – Working with seniors experiencing mental and emotional disorders such as affective and anxiety disorders, dementia and delirium, in addition to sleep and behavioral disorders, cognitive deterioration or confusion states that result from physical disorders.
• Anxiety – A mood disorder in which feelings of intense uneasiness, apprehension and sometimes panic attacks occur; often accompanied by physical symptoms like rapid breathing and heart rate.
• Depression – A mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities formerly enjoyed, that typically has physical as well as psychological symptoms, including insomnia.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – A condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event that includes flashbacks, nightmares and intense anxiety.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – An effective and frequently employed type of talk therapy (psychotherapy) in which the patient becomes aware of inaccurate perceptions and learns to respond to challenging situations in more effective ways.

Video Visits

Ms. Durden offers virtual visits in certain circumstances for patient follow-up. If interested, ask about the option when scheduling.

Background

Ms. Durden joined Sea Island Psychiatry in late 2023 from Primary Care & Hope Clinic in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where she was a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. A Georgia native, she learned early the value of counseling from her mother, whose CarePartners of Georgia practice in Swainsboro provides outpatient mental health services to children and adults. Previously, Ms. Durden served as a field nurse at the practice as well as a geriatric psychiatric nurse at Emanuel Medical Center, also in Swainsboro.

When not working, Ms. Durden enjoys travel “anywhere,” spending time with her close-knit family, thrifting and enjoying the water – ocean, river and lake.