Meet Our Providers

BRIANA TIBBETTS

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Briana is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, deeply committed to providing high-quality, compassionate mental health care to the community she calls home. She is dedicated to creating a safe, collaborative, and nonjudgmental environment where patients feel heard, understood, and empowered to take an active role in their mental health journey.

She brings over 11 years of healthcare experience, beginning her career with eight years in pharmacy before transitioning into nursing. This early foundation provided her with a strong understanding of psychopharmacology, medication mechanisms, and the importance of precision in medication management. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Arizona College of Nursing and completed her Master of Science in Nursing Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Herzing University in 2025. Her clinical background includes experience in both the Neuro Intensive Care Unit and the Emergency Department, where she cared for medically complex and critically ill patients in high-acuity, fast-paced environments that required rapid clinical judgment, emotional resilience, and trauma-informed care.

She primarily focuses on comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management, working with high-acuity outpatient populations across a wide range of psychiatric conditions. Her approach emphasizes careful diagnostic assessment, thoughtful medication selection, and ongoing monitoring to support stability, symptom reduction, and improved quality of life. With a strong foundation in both pharmacology and direct patient care, she integrates clinical evidence with individualized treatment planning, ensuring that each plan is tailored to the patient’s unique history, goals, and lived experience. She values shared decision-making and strives to ensure patients are informed, supported, and actively involved in every step of their care.

Briana’s clinical style is rooted in empathy, respect, and clear communication. She understands that mental health is deeply connected to life experiences, relationships, and environmental stressors, and she takes a holistic view of each individual’s needs. She is especially passionate about supporting couples navigating relationship challenges and co-parenting, children of divorced parents, teens and adults managing complex emotional and behavioral stressors, and individuals adapting to significant life changes such as chronic medical conditions, trauma, grief, or loss.

She incorporates developmentally appropriate and creative interventions when helpful, including elements of art- and play-informed approaches to help patients express themselves in ways that feel safe and natural—particularly for children and adolescents. She also integrates structured journaling and reflective practices to help patients build insight, identify emotional patterns, and strengthen self-awareness over time. Her goal is to meet patients where they are and help them build practical, sustainable skills that support long-term emotional wellness.

CLAIRE VAN ZYL

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Claire is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisville in 2019. She spent over six years working as a Registered Nurse in emergency medicine, where mental health care is an integral part of daily practice. Through this experience, Claire developed strong skills in crisis intervention, de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and compassionate communication with individuals experiencing acute psychiatric distress, substance use concerns, and complex psychosocial stressors.

After two years as a traveling nurse, Claire accepted a contract in Tucson, Arizona, where she quickly developed a deep appreciation for the desert landscape and surrounding community. She ultimately chose to make Tucson her home and has since become increasingly involved in the local area. Claire is proud to be part of Agave Mental Wellness Institute, where she is dedicated to providing comprehensive, patient-centered mental health care.

Driven by her passion for psychiatry, Claire earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of South Alabama, graduating in 2025. Claire has experience in both inpatient psychiatric hospital and outpatient mental health settings. Her clinical work includes conducting comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and utilizing a range of psychotherapy modalities across the lifespan, with experience caring for patients from age 6 through older adulthood.

Claire continues to develop her therapeutic skill set with a strong emphasis on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based approaches, art therapy, supportive psychotherapy, motivational interviewing, exposure-based therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). She has a particular passion for working with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and trauma-related conditions.

Claire is committed to providing collaborative, evidence-based, and compassionate care in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment. She believes in meeting patients where they are and empowering them to take an active role in their mental health and healing journey.

Links

Contact Information

Phone: (520) 812-1462

Fax: (520) 434-1311

Address: 7660 E Broadway Blvd, Suite 101 Tucson, AZ 85710

Email: contact@agavewellness.org