Our Team

Ryan Baxter

My name is Ryan Baxter, and I am a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I have spent over 19 years in the mental health field and have worked with a variety of populations, including but not limited to: traumatic brain injury, children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities and deaf and hard of hearing adults with mental illness. While my training and much of my experiences is in both child/adolescent and adult psychiatry, I also have a strong foundation in medicine. My first year out of nursing school I worked in critical care (CCU/ICU), learning to appreciate the complex nature of disease and its lasting impact on the patient. My experience in both the inpatient and outpatient settings has allowed me a greater appreciation of how mental illness impacts all of our loved ones. I love the field of psychiatry and believe fully in the mind body connection, and the power of the "positive". I decided to venture on my own so that I would not be bound by the traditions of passing prescriptions on to patients without really building a relationship or truly looking at my alternatives. My hope is to not only bring patients back to their baseline functioning, it is to work with them so that they may grown beyond the way they were, into the people who they want to become!

Nicole Helger

Hi! My name is Nicole and I’m a lifelong resident of Rhode Island. I started my nursing journey at CCRI, earning my Associate Degree in Nursing. I continued on at Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and then finalized my education at Regis College as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. During that time, I had the privilege to complete my preceptorship at Baxter Behavioral Health, which felt like I was home, so never left. I enjoy working with populations of any age. I find every patient is a teacher, and I love learning about their unique background and helping them to identify their strengths. In the past, I’ve worked in community mental health, pediatric homecare, was part of the “flu crew” for multiple seasons giving vaccines and worked as a home health nurse in the HIV/AIDS community. Before becoming a nurse, I worked at the Potter League for animals as an adoption counselor, and Looking Upwards in both the home and school setting supporting children with developmental disabilities. I am still very active in animal sheltering and rescue and have fostered hundreds of puppies and kittens with their mothers. Currently I’m working on a new shelter/rescue program to streamline adoptions and raise money for these organizations. When I’m not in Rhode Island, I’ll likely be on a beach in Mexico or Diagon Alley at Universal Studios in Florida, wand in hand.

Katherine Laplante

Coming from an extended family of health care workers and first responders, I always knew my career would involve helping others. I find caring for, supporting, and educating others rewarding and empowering. I have always been passionate about working with children and specialize in the psychiatric care of children, adolescents, and young adults.

I obtained my BSN at the University of Rhode Island in 2013. During my undergrad career, I joined the AmeriCorps Jumpstart program and worked in the community with preschool aged children enhancing their language, literacy, and social-emotional skills. After graduation, I was accepted into a nurse residency program in which I worked at Women and Infants Hospital and Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital. I immediately loved psychiatric nursing and was hired at Bradley following the residency program. During my six years at Bradley Hospital, I worked with children and adolescents dealing with depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma, psychosis, and more. I felt as though there was more I could learn, so returned to school to further my education.

I obtained my MSN at Walden University while working as an RN at Bradley. Also during that time, I worked as a clinical instructor for the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. I worked with and provided education for undergraduate nursing students at Bradley Hospital and Southcoast Behavioral Health in Massachusetts.

I provide a caring and compassionate experience, and understanding that seeking psychiatric treatment can be difficult. Whether I am meeting someone for the first time or working with a follow up patient, I provide respect, support, and a listening ear. I prefer to take a holistic approach to treatment and look at all aspects of the patient’s life. My goal is to work closely with my patients to provide an easy, enjoyable, and progressive experience to improve their mental health.

Nicole Sanchez

Hello, my name is Nicole Sanchez. I became a nurse practitioner because I genuinely love to help people. I was born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. I started my journey to become a registered nurse because I felt a calling to help people in need and when they are at their worst. I graduated from National University College in Arecibo, Puerto Rico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2011. I am fluent in Spanish and English. I have worked as an inpatient psychiatric nurse for over 6 years. During this time, I have been able to see the transformative effects of psychiatric medications and treatment. I graduated from Maryville University with a Master’s Degree in Nursing in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program in December 2021. I love seeing people's faces, hearing their stories, and working on ways to best help them. At Baxter Behavioral Health we work collaboratively to create goals that will guide treatment. I look forward to meeting you and working with you to help you achieve your goals.

Reagan McGee

Hello! My name is Reagan and I am a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Exploring options for mental health care can be a difficult and daunting task. My goal is to create an open space that emphasizes comfort and a judgment free-zone. I have over eight years of psychiatric/mental health experience in various roles including inpatient psychiatry (children, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics), outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers. My background in healthcare started in 2015, as an emergency room intern family liaison, and mental health advocate at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

In 2019, I graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. My nursing career started as an emergency room nurse. I quickly realized how crucial mental healthcare is, and how it encompasses our everyday lives. Following my career as an emergency room nurse, I decided to take a different route and enter psychiatric nursing. There, my appreciation and passion for the field of psychiatry grew. I was a nurse at Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital for three years specializing in children and adolescents, and children with intellectual disabilities. Throughout my time as a nurse at Bradley Hospital, I obtained my master's degree at Norwich University, earning my Masters of Science in Nursing with a concentration in mental health. My experience includes individuals who struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma, addiction, OCD, Bipolar Disorder as well as Individuals with intellectual disabilities and neurocognitive disorders. My approach is to provide an open, empathic, and trusting environment that provides a safe space to talk about your innermost thoughts. Everyone experiences life differently, and it is important to be able to process those thoughts and feelings. Creating a treatment plan together where the client feels empowered is of utmost importance to me as a provider. I look forward to meeting every one of you!