Meet Our Team
Meet Pura Vida's dedicated and passionate practitioners, here to support you every step of the way.
A Team Committed to Your Transformation
Our providers are trained in a bidirectional therapeutic approach that incorporates elements of care related to the mind, body, and spirit. Each provider at Pura Vida Psychiatry brings their own unique expertise, style, and intuitive approach to care, ensuring that every client receives individualized support tailored to their specific needs. From integrative psychiatry to somatic-based therapies, our providers incorporate evidence-based medicine, functional and nutritional psychiatry, trauma-informed care, and holistic healing modalities into their practice.
We believe that symptoms are not simply problems to be medicated away, but messages from the body and soul, pointing toward areas that need healing and balance. By addressing the root causes of distress, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, we guide our clients toward deep, lasting transformation rather than temporary relief.
A Space for Healing & Growth
At Pura Vida Psychiatry, we are not just practitioners, we are partners in your healing journey. We are here to hold space, offer guidance, and empower you to step into your highest potential. Healing requires faith, willingness, and a readiness to embrace change, and we honor each client’s path with deep respect and compassion.
If you are searching for a different kind of mental health care, one that sees you as a whole person and not just a diagnosis, our team is here to support you. We invite you to take the next step toward healing, growth, and alignment with your highest self. Your journey begins here.
📞 Contact us today to learn more about how Pura Vida Psychiatry can support your path to wellness.
R. Maryam Lempke
DNP, MSN, PMHNP-BC, RN, LMT
Maryam is a Doctor of Nursing Practice, board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, educator, and founder of Pura Vida Psychiatry. Her professional journey spans more than two decades of clinical practice, education, and the integration of physical, psychological, and emotional well-being.
With seven college degrees spanning the humanities, massage therapy, nursing, and psychiatric mental health, Maryam brings an interdisciplinary perspective to patient care and education. Her clinical experience encompasses maternity nursing, women's and children's mental health, adult psychiatry, community-based nursing, and integrative healthcare.
Maternal mental health holds a particularly meaningful place in her professional work. Her experience in maternity nursing, psychiatric care for women and children, and advanced continuing education in maternal mental health has informed her understanding of the profound physiological, psychological, and emotional transitions associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. She recognizes the importance of identifying and addressing mental health concerns throughout the perinatal period, while supporting the well-being of mothers, infants, and families.
Maryam's approach to maternal mental health emphasizes compassionate, evidence-informed care, early recognition of psychiatric symptoms, interdisciplinary collaboration, and an appreciation for the complex relationship between maternal well-being, family dynamics, and infant development.
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Maryam has provided comprehensive psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and collaborative treatment for women, children, adolescents, and adults. She completed advanced clinical training with an integrative psychiatrist in Lenox, Massachusetts, further developing her understanding of the relationship between mental health, physical health, and individualized treatment.
In 2022, she founded Pura Vida Psychiatry, a practice dedicated to expanding access to thoughtful, individualized psychiatric care. Her clinical philosophy incorporates evidence-based psychiatric treatment alongside somatic awareness, trauma-informed care, lifestyle interventions, and attention to the broader factors influencing mental health.
Education has remained a central thread throughout Maryam's career. Her teaching experience includes community college instruction in massage therapy and nursing education. She values creating learning environments that encourage curiosity, clinical reasoning, compassion, and the integration of theoretical knowledge with real-world practice.
A lifelong learner, Maryam has pursued extensive continuing education in integrative and functional psychiatry, maternal mental health, neuroscience, trauma, environmental health, and mind-body medicine. She is also developing educational programs designed to make complex concepts in mental health and autonomic nervous system functioning accessible to both clinicians and the general public.
Maryam believes that effective healthcare education must cultivate not only clinical competence but also the capacity to recognize the humanity of every patient. She is particularly passionate about preparing future nurses to understand the relationship between physical and psychological health, recognize maternal mental health needs, and provide compassionate, holistic care during some of life's most vulnerable transitions.
Outside her professional work, Maryam is a writer, artist, nature enthusiast, and mother of three. Her experiences in motherhood continue to deepen her appreciation for the importance of supporting women and families throughout the reproductive and parenting years.
Through her clinical practice, teaching, and educational initiatives, Maryam remains committed to advancing a model of healthcare grounded in knowledge, compassion, critical thinking, and respect for the whole person.
As a seasoned Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to adult mental health care, Laura provides comprehensive, patient-centered treatment that extends well beyond medication management alone. With experience caring for individuals facing a variety of emotional and psychiatric concerns, she focuses on understanding the unique circumstances, challenges, and strengths that shape each person's experience.
Laura takes time to look at the whole person, not just symptoms. Together with her patients, she explores factors such as stress, relationships, physical health, daily habits, life experiences, and personal goals to develop a treatment approach tailored to their individual needs. When appropriate, care may include psychiatric medication management, evidence-based lifestyle interventions, nutritional considerations, and practical tools designed to promote lasting emotional well-being.
Her style is compassionate, straightforward, and collaborative. She believes effective mental health care is built on trust, open communication, and mutual respect. Her goal is to create a supportive environment where patients feel comfortable sharing their experiences, asking questions, and actively participating in decisions regarding their treatment. Every individual deserves to feel heard, valued, and understood, not defined by a diagnosis.
Laura works with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, mood-related conditions, stress, burnout, life transitions, emotional distress, and other mental health concerns. Whether someone is beginning their mental health journey or seeking a provider who offers a more individualized and thoughtful approach, she strives to help them achieve meaningful improvements that are both realistic and sustainable.
Laura Gabriel
MSN, PMHNP-BC, APRN
Jessica Mackiewicz
Administrative Operations Coordinator
Jessica Mackiewicz is an accomplished office administrator and executive assistant. She has over ten years of experience supporting diverse teams and high-level executives across a broad range of industries.
She graduated with a Master of Science in Applied Psychology from Sacred Heart University in 2016 and has a background in both social services support and holistic health. Jessica prides herself on the ability to not only be a highly competent assistant but to become a reliable and trusted individual within an organization. She truly believes her strength lies in her ability to build relationships.
Outside of the office, Jessica is a Christian, wife, and mother to two beautiful children, three dogs, a cat and a collection of fish and aquatic frogs. She shares a love of coffee and board games with her close friends, adores nature, and has hobbies including hiking, gardening, and swimming. She is also an avid reader, LEGOist and puzzler.