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Paula Runyon, PMHNP

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Paula Runyon, PMHNP

This page shares mental-health education, clinic updates, and ways to reach my team.

07/19/2026

Successful ADHD treatment is about so much more than finding the right medication. It’s learning how your brain is wired. It’s understanding your strengths, recognizing your challenges, creating systems that work for you, building healthy routines and replacing years of self-criticism with self-compassion. 🧡🧡🧡

07/03/2026

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects reading, spelling, decoding words, and recognizing written language. It has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence. In fact, people with dyslexia typically have average to above average intelligence.

One thing many people don’t realize is that a significantly low IQ actually points clinicians toward a different explanation for reading difficulties. By definition, dyslexia is diagnosed when someone’s reading skills are much lower than would be expected based on their overall learning ability and opportunities to learn. That’s why dyslexia and intellectual disability are not the same thing.

Having dyslexia doesn’t mean someone isn’t smart. It means their brain processes written language differently. Many people with dyslexia are incredible problem solvers, creative thinkers, and masters at seeing the big picture.

06/30/2026

🥵 Y’all… it’s hot. I just wanted to share a quick reminder because this kind of heat ain’t just uncomfortable… it can actually be dangerous, especially if you take certain medications. Some medications can make it harder for your body to cool itself or make you more likely to get dehydrated. Medications that can increase heat sensitivity include things like ADHD stimulants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, allergy meds, blood pressure meds and “water pills”. So please if you are on any of these types of medications, remember to drink lots and lots of water (even if you don’t feel thirsty) if you have to be outside any length of time.

Also, if you start feeling dizzy, nauseated, confused, develop muscle cramps, or feel like you might pass out, your body is telling you it’s had enough. If someone becomes confused, stops sweating even though they’re hot, passes out, or has a very high body temperature, that’s a medical emergency. Call 911.

As always, talk to your health care provider if you have any questions or concerns. ❤️

04/02/2026

💙 Autism Awareness Day 💙

For many autistic individuals, the world can feel like it’s set to a different volume, speed, or frequency. Things others don’t notice…lights, sounds, textures, transitions…can be overwhelming, exhausting, or even painful.

And the challenges aren’t always visible.

It may look like:
• Struggling with changes in routine
• Feeling overwhelmed in busy environments
• Difficulty with communication or expressing needs
• Emotional regulation that others may misunderstand
• Being labeled as “too much” or “not enough”

For families, the journey can be just as complex:
• Advocating in schools, healthcare, and daily life
• Navigating misunderstandings or judgment from others
• Balancing support with fostering independence
• Carrying the emotional weight of wanting the world to be kinder and more accommodating

But alongside these challenges, there is also:
✨ Deep focus and passion
✨ Unique ways of thinking and problem-solving
✨ Honesty, authenticity, and strong values
✨ A different perspective that adds richness to the world

Awareness is a start…but acceptance and understanding are the goal.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is slow down, listen, and meet people where they are.

💙 To autistic individuals: You are not broken. You are not “too much.” You are valued exactly as you are.
💙 To families: You are doing more than most people will ever see…and it matters.

Today and every day, let’s move toward a world that doesn’t ask people to fit in…but learns how to include.

04/01/2026

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

I’m so excited to share that I have earned my Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) certification! This advanced training allows me to better support autistic individuals through evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming care.

With this new credential, my updated professional designation is:
Paula Runyon, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, ADHD-CCSP, ASDCS

This milestone feels especially meaningful as we head into World Autism Awareness Day tomorrow 💙

To my patients and families—thank you for trusting me with your stories, your challenges, and your growth. It is truly an honor to walk alongside you. Your experiences continue to shape me into a better, more understanding provider.

I am deeply passionate about helping neurodivergent individuals feel seen, understood, and supported—not just to function, but to thrive. This certification is another step in that mission.

Here’s to continued learning, deeper understanding, and better care!

03/18/2026

Depression doesn’t always feel like sadness.

Sometimes it feels like someone turned down your brain’s dimmer switch 💡

The light is still there…
It’s just not as bright.

Things you used to enjoy?
Muted.
Energy?
Low.
Motivation?
Barely flickering.

But here’s the truth:
The light isn’t gone.
It’s still there… just waiting to be turned back up!

02/11/2026

In less than 24 hours, next Friday is completely booked! Pending how this goes, I will open up another Friday for new patients in the near future. ❤️

02/10/2026

‼️Update: day currently booked‼️
Now Accepting New Patients. Limited Availability!

After a brief pause due to a full schedule, I’ll be opening limited new patient appointments on Friday, February 20, 2025.

📞 Call today: 439-2662
📧 Email: [email protected]

Appointments are limited and fill quickly. We’d love to get you scheduled!

Please feel free to share!

01/16/2026

As a mother to a child with severe dyslexia, I get it. It’s easy to focus on what’s hard for them. But it’s just as important to notice where your child shines. That’s where confidence grows. And feeling capable can change everything. 💛💛💛

01/10/2026

Why no one noticed my ADHD as a kid

It wasn’t missed because I was “fine.”
I wasn’t.

It was missed because I was quiet, compliant, and capable.

I wasn’t disruptive.
I didn’t fail classes.
I didn’t get sent to the office.

And yes… I loved to read.

What they didn’t see:
I could read for hours if I was interested… and not at all if I wasn’t.

I struggled, struggled badly, to engage with anything that didn’t spark my brain.

My ADHD didn’t look like chaos.
It looked like selective focus and overcompensating.

I internalized everything.
I masked early.
I learned that being helpful, quiet, and knowledgeable kept adults from worrying.

So no one asked why things took me longer.
No one noticed the invisible effort.
No one questioned why motivation only showed up when curiosity did.

This is why so many high-masking kids are missed. Not because the signs aren’t there… but because the signs don’t cause problems for others.

And it’s something I see every day now as a psych provider.

If this resonates with you:
You’re not broken.
You’re not lazy.

You were navigating ADHD in a world that only noticed disruption. 💗

Address

1908 North Main Street
Hazard, KY
41701

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