Meet Your Provider: 15 Questions with Tannia Salazar, APRN
Hi there! I’m Tannia Salazar, APRN—founder of Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health LLC, a psychiatric medication management practice offering telehealth services to adults across Connecticut.
If you’ve ever wondered who you’ll be working be (or just want to make sure I’m not secretly a robot in a lab coat), this is for you. These 15 questions offer a real look at who I am—beyond prescriptions, symptom scales, and patient portals.
I’m known for being warm, collaborative, and—yes—a little brutally honest (in the best way). After years in large and mid-sized healthcare systems, I opened my own practice to cut through the institutional red tape and create the kind of care I believe in: personal, unrushed, and rooted in mutual respect.
I care deeply about bringing attention to mental health, reducing stigma, and helping clients feel safe, informed, and truly heard.
Let’s get into it!
1. Coffee or tea?
Coffee—always. But a cozy cup of tea is lovely on a cold night. 💚
2. How do you relax after a long day?
Gardening. I’m an avid gardener—there’s something grounding (pun intended!) about pruning and planting. Most if not all of the plant pictures in my posts and socials come from my own gardens. I also love reading and spending time with my family.
3. Why did you choose this work?
Big question! Ultimately, I chose healthcare to help people!
I’m a first-generation immigrant, born in Ecuador and raised in the U.S. since I was six. Growing up, navigating the healthcare system was often overwhelming—language barriers, cultural gaps, and stigma all played a role. I initially explored pharmacy and business, but nursing called to me. I fell in love with the profession—so much so that I now teach nursing students as a clinical adjunct professor! Becoming an APRN felt like a natural next step: I wanted to support patients in a more autonomous and impactful way.
4. A book that stuck with you?
Fiction: One Hundred Years of Solitude (forever a favorite).
Practice-related: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and The Body Keeps the Score. Both are essential if you're curious about trauma and healing.
5. Something small that brings you joy?
Watching my plants grow—it reminds me that with the right conditions, we can all thrive. ✨
6. Favorite season?
As a gardener, I love Spring!
7. One thing you wish more people understood about mental health?
Everyone struggles. Seeking help is not weakness—it’s strength. Medication isn’t a “crutch.” It’s a tool that can support your healing and quality of life.
👉 Check out this blog if you’re curious 💚
8. Where are you based?
I serve adults across Connecticut via telehealth.
9. What kind of clients do you love working with?
All of them! It’s not a cop-out—I truly mean it. Everyone brings something unique and meaningful to the work we do.
10. What helps you reset mentally?
Gardening, reading, painting... sometimes just a good cry. Whatever it takes.
11. How would you describe your style as a provider?
Warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental. I like to be approachable and create a safe atmosphere for clients to feel comfortable.
12. Something you’re still working on personally?
Anxiety- specifically High-functioning anxiety.
I’ve debated whether or not to include this here. Even as I write this, some people have suggested I leave it out—for fear it might seem “unprofessional” or invite judgment.
But that’s exactly why I’m sharing it. Stigma only grows in silence.
I believe in practicing what I encourage others to do: speak openly, seek help, and give yourself permission to be human.
Living with anxiety helps me relate more deeply to my clients. It reminds me that healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, self-awareness, and support. And in my experience, those qualities make me a better clinician, not a weaker one.
I didn’t realize what a polarizing issue this was until I was writing this post. Stay tuned for a future blog about this topic!
13. Best advice you’ve ever received?
You can’t make everyone happy.
As a provider, that’s been an especially tough lesson to learn—because I care deeply and always want the best for the people I work with. But healing isn’t always linear, and sometimes we may not fully align on a diagnosis or treatment plan.
If you ever feel unsure about something, I want you to know it’s okay to speak up. In fact, I welcome those conversations. There may have been times in the past—whether in my care or elsewhere—when something didn’t land right or didn’t feel collaborative enough. That was never my intention, but I know it can happen.
That’s why I’m putting this out there now: my goal is a partnership grounded in honesty, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. You deserve to feel informed, empowered, and truly heard every step of the way.
This isn’t a one-way street—I want to earn your trust, and that starts with open, respectful dialogue.
Hmm… I think this might be another future blog topic!. Stay tuned!
14. Most rewarding part of your work?
Watching clients regain their strength—whether that means returning to who they were before or becoming who they’ve always wanted to be 💚
15. What do you want people to feel when they work with you?
Safe. Heard. Rooted in themselves again 🌱
Tannia Salazar, APRN, is the founder of Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health LLC, offering telepsychiatry services across Connecticut for adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, trauma, and more.
