Alumna Tiana King leads her own practice, applying the skills and knowledge she gained at ASU. Courtesy photo

Once Tiana King settled on nursing as her chosen career path, she was determined to go about the practice of nursing differently. 

“I wanted to become the provider I never had — someone who could facilitate meaningful shifts at the root level, going beyond lifestyle changes and prescription medication alone to heal the deeper wounds that drive a person’s symptoms,” she said.

A two-time ASU Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation alumna, King earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2009 and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2022. She said the programs, along with her experience in the field, set her up to accomplish her goal of delivering care through a holistic approach.

As a registered nurse, King has worked in several settings across health care, from the intensive care unit to perioperative care. Even though she saw many different patients with many different needs, she recognized a commonality that patients needed more education and a more hands-on approach to lifestyle change.

“As a primary care provider, the focus was always on lifestyle changes and diet. But so many of my patients were carrying deeper wounds — childhood attachment wounds and event trauma that no diet, lifestyle change or prescription could touch,” she said.

Her work eventually expanded to include psychiatric mental health care and trauma-centered healing. While her DNP project focused on lifestyle medicine, her later work led her to pursue mental health care. 

Today, she leads her own practice as founder of Integral Health & Healing, where she provides trauma-centered psychiatric care that is culturally responsive and inclusive. 

“Representation in integrative and holistic mental health care matters deeply — and as a Black woman in this space, showing up fully as myself is part of the work,” she said.

Building her own practice is especially meaningful for King, who openly shared that getting to this point required a lot of sacrifices and dedication to creating her own community of support.

“Coming from humble beginnings as a CNA and a foster child without a traditional support system, I have built something that reflects everything I wished had existed when I needed it most.”

Below, King reflects on her time at ASU and shares her advice to current students.

Note: This interview has been lightly edited for style and brevity.

Question: What is one thing you learned during your time at ASU that has stuck with you?

Answer: The lesson that has stayed with me longest did not come from a lecture — it came from a professor during my undergraduate nursing program who told me that my greatest asset was my intellect. At that point in my life, I had never truly believed that about myself. Those words shifted something in me, and I carried them through every difficult moment that followed. 

I was also told by a professor that I was a gifted writer with the potential to be published. I have carried both of those affirmations with me ever since. Today, I am writing my first book. Those words continue to fuel the work I do and the voice I bring to my practice, my writing and my advocacy.

Q: How did your degree help prepare you for the position you have today?

A: The DNP program provided a foundation that extends far beyond clinical knowledge. Through my pilot study, I was able to deeply explore my passion for lifestyle medicine — translating research into real-world application and understanding how to measure meaningful outcomes. 

The program also shaped me into a transformational leader. I gained the skills to not only design and create wellness programs but to track quality improvements and evaluate their impact on patient populations. That ability to think systemically — to see both the individual and the broader community — has been foundational in building Integral Health & Healing. 

Perhaps most importantly, the program gave me the confidence to step into leadership, build a brand, and create a practice that reflects my deepest values and clinical vision. 

Q: What advice would you give students who are currently enrolled in the program? 

A: Trust yourself. Trust your vision. If you want something, just go get it. The path may not be linear, and it will not always be easy, but your perseverance is your greatest asset. Show up for yourself even when others do not show up for you. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do it. Sometimes the people around us project their own fears and insecurities onto our dreams, consciously or not. If I had listened to every person who told me it would be too difficult, that I was reaching too far, or that I should scale back my ambitions, I would not be where I am today.

By Cindy Shirlley Kolenyo |  October 13, 2026 | Original Article