TRAINING AND CREDENTIALS

Elaine V. Walker, PA, BA, BHS, MDiv, is originally from northern Virginia and graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in religion and history. She enrolled in Duke Divinity School, having plans to enter the ministry. While at Duke, she became interested in pastoral counseling and hospital chaplaincy. She graduated with honors and, while pursuing ordination, started working at Dartmouth Medical Center in New Hampshire. Working as a technician in the cardiology lab, she changed direction and went back to her original dream of becoming a doctor. Ms. Walker returned to Duke, this time in the Physician Assistant Program, and was exposed to many different aspects of medicine. She got her first job as a surgical PA on the Duke heart team. Surgery was short-lived, and her next job was at Wake Rehab Hospital where she worked with trauma, stroke and brain injury patients. After several years there, she accepted a job at John Umstead Hospital working with geriatric patients. In 2008, she moved to outpatient psychiatry starting at Five County Mental Health then joining Carolina Behavioral Care. Ms. Walker works in the Durham clinic as well as Pinehurst and also works with an Assertive Community Treatment Team based in Warren county.

AREAS OF CLINICAL INTEREST

Ms. Walker has always been interested in helping people who are marginalized or have difficulty accessing mental health services. She works with adults who have a wide range of mental health challenges but is especially invested in the clients with severe and persistent mental illness. She believes in taking a holistic approach to treating clients and looks at medical issues and psychosocial stresses and how they impact a person's functioning. Exercise and physical health are important components to good mental health, and she believes that clients need to be active partners in achieving wellness.