Meet the Provider
Hello friends!
My name is Kates Sitton, and I’m a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. That means I can do a lot of things, for a lot of different people — but here’s what I’m focusing on at Bridge to Hope Counseling.
I like to work with patients who are hypermobile and neurospicy, because so am I. Lived experience is the best way to gain practical and beneficial knowledge when it comes to caring for patients with “all the things.” I have built this practice based on what I wish I had as a patient. If you’re spicy and bendy — I get it, and I actually know how to help.
I am not your typical NP — so if you’re looking for white coats, formal structure, and 10-minute appointments where I won’t ask too many questions… please run for your life, because my office will not be the vibe for you!
I am an unabashed critic of the American Healthcare System (despite also being licensed as a provider in Illinois and working responsibly within that system), but that doesn’t stop me from calling it like I see it — and trying to work with patients to see the bigger picture.
When I was helping deliver babies as a labor and delivery nurse, and when I was taking care of kiddos in pediatric primary care — I got to live in the world of caring for people in a state of wellness. Once I transitioned to working with more adults in private family practice, I quickly realized that we’re doing something wrong in this medical system.
There is something very wrong when we have healthy babies and kids who grow up to be teens and young adults struggling with mental health, and later adults who require multiple medications to control symptoms of dysregulation. The medical system’s answer is to throw another drug at the problem — but frankly, that gives me the ick. So I do things a little differently here.
My goals when I work with patients are to show them how everything connects — the physical stuff and the mental health stuff… it’s all connected! I like to teach people about their nervous system and how to recognize the feelings in their body and clock it for exactly what it is: typically a state of dysautonomia, inflammation, and usually both.
I spend a lot of time teaching my patients because I want to give you the tools to recognize what’s going on inside your body first — so then we can build a toolkit to navigate your emotions, body sensations, and physical symptoms in real time. Knowledge is power, and somatic interventions are the magic sauce to calm down a system that’s been living in survival mode for too long.
My superpower is getting to the root cause. I have never been comfortable slapping a bandaid on something and calling it a cure. That said, I believe in the power of Prozac — I absolutely utilize responsible medication prescribing, over-the-counter medications, and supplements when appropriate to help stabilize symptoms. But there will never be a time that we are not also working on the lifestyle medicine of it all.
What You Can See Me For:
ADHD — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, I prescribe stimulant medications and controlled substances when appropriate
• Yes, I keep prescribing them and managing your ADHD + mental health long-term — I’m not just here for evaluation and diagnosis, I’m here to care for you as a whole person
Hypermobility — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, I will evaluate and diagnose you clinically with hypermobility syndrome (hypermobile EDS)
• No, I do not perform genetic evaluation or testing — but I’m happy to identify clinical features that suggest you should see one, and make that referral
hEDS + POTS + MCAS triad — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, I am well informed and have a strong understanding of the dynamics that interplay between hypermobile EDS, POTS, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). The symptoms are real, the systems all overlap, and the care is complex — but I love a good puzzle, and yes I’ll help you put the pieces together so everything fits and finally starts to make sense.
• No, I do not order extensive testing because I feel really strongly that it is NOT NECESSARY in most cases. If you have a sore throat, then a strep test is not a terrible plan to see if you need to be prescribed an antibiotic. But when it comes to this triad - the labs don’t have much to offer us, and usually don’t represent what’s going on very accurately. The clinical picture and a solid history are more than enough to make a strong diagnosis. This saves you time, money, and spoons. If you are someone who is seeking extensive testing with lab work, imaging, and a million referrals — I’m not your girl (and that’s okay!)
C-PTSD — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, you probably have trauma even if you don’t think you do
• Yes, I can prescribe medications that can be helpful
• No, I will not ignore your lifestyle and how it’s impacting your symptoms
Complex Care Management
You keep your PCP — but visit me for root cause analysis, lifestyle medicine, education on how everything connects, medication adjustments + recommendations, help streamlining an overwhelming medication burden, or finding answers where you’ve previously felt lost or broken.
Gender Affirming Care — Hormone Therapy
Duh! Bridge to Hope is built to serve a neurodivergent and queer community. We are all allies here — and that means providing personalized, gender affirming care that meets your individual goals.
Mental Health — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, I will evaluate, diagnose (if that’s what you want), and treat your mental health symptoms
• Yes, I will absolutely annoy you about lifestyle medicine topics like diet, movement, stress, work-life balance, and environmental + inflammatory triggers
• No, I am not a neuropsychiatric evaluator — I cannot diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder — however, I can let you know where I see you presenting on the neurospicy side of life and connect you with formal evaluation if that feels important
• Yes, I can help you decide if formal evaluation is right for you
• Yes, I can help identify workplace accommodations and complete paperwork to help get your needs better met
Perimenopause + Hormonal Dysregulation — Evaluation, Diagnosis + Treatment
• Yes, your ADHD was manageable until perimenopause hit and then everything stopped working — and no, it’s not in your head, it’s neurobiological
• Yes, I can help you manage your hormones in a variety of ways — that doesn’t always mean HRT
• Yes, I absolutely prescribe HRT when necessary and appropriate
Medication-Sensitive Patients + Polypharmacy — Evaluation + Treatment
• Yes, I can help you connect the dots and find the “one big thing” driving everything else
• Yes, I will use lifestyle medicine + pharmaceutical interventions to improve your quality of life
• No, I cannot manage complex polypharmacy alone — but yes, I would love to work with your PCP to clean up your problem list and simplify your medication burden
My Approach
Traditional primary care is often rushed and focused on treating symptoms one at a time in short little time slots. My approach is different.
I believe health problems rarely exist in isolation. The nervous system, immune system, hormones, and mental health are deeply interconnected — and meaningful care requires paying attention to all of them.
While we get started, our appointments will be about an hour long. After we’ve spent some time together and reach a good groove, if we only need 30 minutes — that’s what we’ll do! This is a counseling office after all, so it will feel a lot closer to that than a traditional medical visit. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)
Collaborative Care
I work best with patients who want to participate in their care and decision-making.
I believe strongly in patient autonomy and empowering you to make your own informed healthcare decisions. I’ll share my opinion, outline safe and reasonable next steps, but I won’t put you in a box or stick to a rigid algorithm. You remain the decision-maker — I’m here to help guide the process and make sure it’s done safely.
I spend a lot of time teaching the pathophysiology and neurobiology happening underneath the surface — because that’s knowledge you can take with you wherever you go next. Taking back your power within the medical system is healing in itself.
So, if you’re frustrated by the state of our current medical system and are looking for a holistic approach that truly values the whole person — mind, body, and spirit — you’ve found the right place.
If you’re seeking extensive testing and more traditional medical evaluation, I’m probably not your girl — but you’re welcome to come test the waters if you’re feeling curious.
More than anything, I want you to know that my office is a space for casual, comfortable interaction. It’s not stuffy. I often take my shoes off and sit on the floor, and I love incorporating somatic interventions as part of our lifestyle medicine plan.
I believe strongly that everyone has a beautiful little spark of goodness — even on their darkest days — and I am really good at finding it and helping you find the tools to let it grow. Patients who see me are doing the hard work, but I’ll sit with you while we figure it out: safely, responsibly, without judgment, and with a lot of love. Probably some spicy language too, but oh well.
Fill out the contact form to reach out to our intake coordinator to get your paperwork started — I’m happy to take it from there. See you soon, friends!
Remember to take care of yourself in the meantime — and please don’t forget to wiggle. Yes, it’s really that important.
— Kates Sitton, MSN, APRN-FPA, FNP-C
A Note About Primary Care
I generally recommend maintaining a relationship with a traditional primary care clinic for annual wellness visits, urgent care, and after-hours needs. Those clinics are better equipped for same-day and acute issues. That said, I’m always happy to discuss what makes sense case by case — I’m not trying to spend all your money, but I’m also not trying to make a cozy office too clinical. Fair?