Russell Cothren
Suzanne Nicholas, M.D.
Medical Services at Pat Walker Health Center welcomed Dr. Suzanne Nicholas, M.D., to its psychiatry team, expanding access to high-quality mental health care for students, faculty and staff at the U of A.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Suzanne Nicholas to our provider team,” said Dr. Huda Sharaf, M.D., PWHC’s medical director. “Dr. Nicholas brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to compassionate, patient-centered mental health care. Her expertise will greatly enhance our integrated approach, ensuring that our patients receive comprehensive support for both their physical and behavioral health needs.”
Nicholas is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry. She specializes in college and young-adult mental health, providing evidence-based care for anxiety, depression, trauma and substance-use disorders. Her integrative approach blends psychotherapy, mindfulness and medication management to support sustainable recovery and overall wellbeing.
“I believe every patient deserves to feel safe, understood and capable of healing,” Nicholas said. “My goal is to provide trauma-informed, whole-person care that empowers students to thrive.”
Before joining Pat Walker Health Center, Nicholas co-owned Fayetteville Psychiatry, an outpatient practice that served a primarily college-aged population from 2019 to 2024. She previously served as a psychiatric consultant at Stockton Medical Clinic’s Medication-Assisted Treatment program from 2016 to 2019.
Nicholas earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed both her general psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in adult psychiatry.
Her professional interests include mood and anxiety disorders, trauma recovery, women’s mental health, substance use and exploring the mind-body connection in treatment.
Outside of her clinical work, Nicholas co-founded The Thrive Collective, a mentorship and empowerment program for high school girls in Fayetteville Public Schools, and ROOTED, an arts-integrated initiative that promotes emotional growth through movement and community engagement. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, reading and spending time outdoors with her family.
Psychiatry Services at PWHC are located within the Primary Care Clinic on the first floor of the health center. U of A students, faculty and staff may schedule an appointment or inquire about services by calling 479-575-4451, option 1.
For more information about medical services at PWHC, visit health.uark.edu and follow @uarkhealth on Instagram and Facebook.
