Melinda Preston, DNP
Dr. Preston provides evaluation, medication management, and psychotherapy for individuals, and provides couples or family therapy if indicated. Her individual research involves the co-morbidity of migraine and mood issues. Dr. Preston takes a special interest in patients with a variety of neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, migraine, and chronic pain. She treats patients for depression, anxiety, personality disorder, behavioral change in dementia and Parkinson’s, delirium, psychosis, and bipolar disorder.
Dr. Preston earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. She worked in psychiatric nursing as a staff nurse, charge nurse, and head nurse. She returned to earn her Master of Science in Psychiatric Nursing and practiced as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Nursing for 17 years in both adult and pediatric settings, developed psychiatric emergency service programs and consultation service to medical inpatients. She sat on the ASU curriculum committee to develop the post-masters certificate for nurse practitioners and then earned her certificate as a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from Arizona State University. Before coming to work at Foothills Neurology, she worked as the first Nurse Practitioner at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona for almost 13 years. She returned to earn her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Arizona State University. She maintains an active research practice with NoesisPharma. In the past she has served as a voting member of two Institutional Review Boards (IRB research review groups) and developed a Research for the Bedside Nurse course. She has presented regionally and nationally on psychiatric issues and research and pursues her own continuing education.
Dr. Preston currently sees Foothills Neurology patients at the Neurobehavioral Health Ahwatukee office.