Reviewed by: Michael Seale
What motivates Kim to help depression patients in Huntsville right now
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Kim is one of the warmest and friendliest people I have ever met, and she exudes passion for her job in everything she does.
Read on to learn what motivates her and how she’s helped depression patients find hope at TMS Huntsville.
Trained in nursing by her grandmother
A Huntsville native, Kim was homeschooled through high school and then attended UAH for nursing. While she was studying to become a nurse practitioner, she picked up a job with a family practice doctor whom her grandmother worked with for 30 years.
“This doctor had been running his practice since the 50s and was one of those old-school doctors that did everything—from surgery to delivering babies.
Although my grandmother didn’t have formal training as a nurse practitioner, he grandfathered her in. She basically did all the things nurse practitioners do before they even had nurse practitioners. I was trained by her in his office and got to get a lot of hands-on experience.”
Kimberly McDonald, Nurse Practitioner, TMS Huntsville
Shortly after graduating with her degrees, Kim met her husband—an engineer from Mississippi. They quickly began having kids and decided it was best for Kim to step away from work for a few years to help raise them.
“We started a family pretty early on and had six kids. We were super busy all the time—it was like we were flying by the skin of our teeth.
I had so much fun raising my kids, but I did miss nursing. When my oldest turned five, I decided to get my feet wet and start working as a nurse again.”
Kimberly McDonald, Nurse Practitioner, TMS Huntsville
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Finding her perfect career at TMS Huntsville
Since she was out of the workforce for a few years, Kim had to take a recertification test to work as a nurse practitioner again. After getting re-certified, she worked in various roles, serving at Bradford Health Center, Huntsville Hospital and the Downtown Rescue Mission.
During these jobs, Kim encountered many patients who needed psychiatric care, but she felt unequipped to help them.
“As a family nurse practitioner, you don’t receive the deep training you need to provide psychiatric care. I had always been interested in psych, so I decided to get a postmaster in the field.
Soon after, one of my connections providentially encouraged me to apply to TMS Huntsville.”
Kimberly McDonald, Nurse Practitioner, TMS Huntsville
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Kim has now been the nurse practitioner at TMS Huntsville for two years and has loved it. On a day-to-day basis, you can find her doing screenings with patients, helping them with medication management and prepping them to receive TMS—an effective drug-free depression treatment alternative.
Aside from loving her everyday tasks, Kim has also connected with the job through her personal experiences. When she was 16, her grandfather—who was like a dad to her—took his own life.
In her role at TMS, Kim has transformed this family tragedy into a tool to inspire her to help patients find hope and healing.
The healing power of TMS
Countless patients have experienced the healing power of TMS. Kim shared with me one impactful testimony she’s encountered:
“I had one patient—a young mom—who couldn’t understand why she was depressed. On paper, she had everything—a happy family and healthy children—but she had a history of family depression.
She was doing everything she could think of to heal, like journaling and doing psychotherapy, but she wasn’t getting better.
After completing her TMS treatments, she shared with us that she’s not had this kind of peace and cognitive control in a long time. She and her husband can both feel the difference.”
Kimberly McDonald, Nurse Practitioner, TMS Huntsville
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If you’re experiencing any of the following, TMS Huntsville could be the right move for you:
- Depression
- Neuropathic or peripheral pain
- OCD
- Tinnitus
Begin your healing journey at TMS Huntsville.
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