Dr. Elissa Mendenhall has dedicated her career to the development and practice of integrative mental and behavioral health care. She became interested in this field when learning about herbal medicine at age 11, biofeedback at age 15, and yoga at age 16. Later, she studied premedical sciences at Smith College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology at New College in Florida. Dr. Mendenhall graduated with honors in research from National College of Naturopathic Medicine (now NUNM) in 2005, and opened a private practice dedicated to working with holistic mental health.
Dr. Mendenhall has since served as a medical director to an adolescent addictions treatment facility, and is currently a prescriber for an early-intervention for psychosis intensive outpatient facility. She has also had the privilege to give lectures at her alma mater, NUNM, and to the psychiatric nursing program at Oregon Health & Science University. In addition, she has lectured at a number of naturopathic medical conferences and to behavioral health professionals on the subject of integrative mental health.
Dr. Mendenhall opened Amenda Clinic in 2012, the first dedicated integrative mental health clinic in Portland, and continues as its director. Amenda was designated a Tier 3 PCPCH facility in 2014, one of the first naturopathic clinics in the country to be awarded this designation.
As adjunct faculty for the MSiMH program at NUNM, Dr. Mendenhall is excited to be an integral part of developing this essential profession of integrative mental health. When not teaching or practicing medicine, she can be found in the garden scowling at slugs or cuddling chickens.