Today we’d like to introduce you to Marquette Leach.
Hi Marquette, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path into nursing and mental health has been anything but linear, but it’s been deeply meaningful.
I started my nursing career here in North Carolina, but I grew up hearing vivid stories about my family’s roots in Brooklyn — open fire hydrants in the summer, stoop conversations that lasted for hours, and the kind of neighborhood closeness that becomes part of your identity even from afar. Eventually, I felt pulled to experience it for myself. So I moved to New York City, continued my nursing education, and began working in senior living.
Those years in Brooklyn shaped me personally and professionally. I grew quickly with the company, stepping into leadership roles and developing an understanding of what it meant to care not just for individual patients, but for entire communities of older adults.
Later, I accepted a role as Vice President of Nursing for a Florida-based senior living organization. My family and I eventually felt the tug back home to North Carolina, and the move gave me space to continue advancing academically. I went on to earn my master’s degree and then my Doctor of Nursing Practice from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
Throughout my career as an RN and nurse leader, one frustration kept coming up again and again: we could never find accessible, high-quality psychiatric services for older adults. The need was tremendous, and the resources were so limited. That gap stayed with me.
So I decided to do something about it.
I applied to East Carolina University’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and was fortunate to be accepted. That decision changed the trajectory of my career. Today, I’m able to combine years of nursing leadership with advanced psychiatric training to provide the kind of care I always wished existed for the patients and families I served.
It’s been a long and winding road, but each step has brought me closer to work that feels like purpose — building access, dignity, and compassionate mental health care for people across the lifespan.
All of this—my roots, my education, my leadership experience, and the deep awareness of unmet mental health needs—ultimately culminated in the opening of The Brain Balance Clinic, PLLC in Greenville, North Carolina.
At The Brain Balance Clinic, I’m able to provide the kind of accessible, patient-centered psychiatric care I always wished existed. It’s the place where my journey comes full circle: honoring the stories that raised me, serving the community that shaped me, and creating a space where people of all ages can find support, balance, and hope.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like most meaningful work, the journey hasn’t been entirely smooth. From the beginning, we felt it was essential to serve as many people as possible. While many practices limit their access to commercial insurance or avoid Medicaid altogether, we believed that partnering with Medicaid was central to our mission. Mental health care should not depend on someone’s insurance card.
As a graduate of East Carolina University’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, I carried forward the College of Nursing’s mission: to transform the health of rural and underserved communities through excellence, innovation, and service. The Brain Balance Clinic was built with that mission at its core.
Putting that vision into action, however, came with challenges. Contracting with insurance companies—especially Medicaid partners—took time, persistence, and an enormous amount of administrative effort. Today, we’re proud to say The Brain Balance Clinic is contracted with nearly 20 insurance companies, but reaching that point was one of the biggest hurdles we’ve faced.
In the end, those challenges were worth it. They allowed us to remove barriers to care, stay true to our values, and make high-quality psychiatric services accessible to the people who need them most
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Brain Balance Clinic?
The Brain Balance Clinic is a multi-site psychiatric practice with locations in Greenville, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We serve clients across the lifespan—starting at age six—who are seeking compassionate, comprehensive mental health care.
Our practice specializes in the full spectrum of psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, and more. What makes us unique is our integrated approach: every session blends medication management with therapeutic strategies. We don’t believe in simply writing a prescription; we want clients to leave with insight, tools, and skills they can use long after the appointment is over.
Accessibility is one of our most important commitments. We know that mental health care is often difficult to access because of work, school, childcare, and transportation barriers. To help close that gap, we offer extended hours—Monday through Friday until 8 PM, and Saturdays from 9 AM to 5 PM. These hours allow families, working adults, and students to receive care without disrupting their routines or facing additional stress. Reducing barriers isn’t just a goal for us; it’s a core part of our mission.
Another value we hold closely is service. That means communicating clearly with clients about whether we can meet their needs—and being upfront when we cannot. It means following up and following through on requests so care is never delayed. It means collaborating with pediatricians, cardiologists, therapists, or any other providers involved in a client’s health when it’s clinically appropriate. We approach care as a team effort, and we believe our clients deserve nothing less.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is the therapeutic alliance we build with our clients. We listen—truly listen—and that listening begins from the very first phone call to our office. People come to us at vulnerable moments in their lives, and we don’t take that invitation lightly.
At The Brain Balance Clinic, we aren’t just treating symptoms; we’re helping people reclaim their well-being, strengthen their resilience, and move toward the lives they want to live. That’s the heart of our work, and it’s what defines our brand.
Any big plans?
The Brain Balance Clinic is in an exciting period of growth. We recently opened a new office in Winston-Salem, expanding our reach and making psychiatric care more accessible across North Carolina. A major focus moving forward is continuing to reduce barriers to care—which is why we proudly accept Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans.
As we grow, our priority is to strengthen what we already do well: integrated, relationship-centered care that combines medication management with therapeutic support. We’re also exploring additional locations in underserved areas, expanding virtual care, and enhancing the tools and resources we offer to support continuity of care.
Our future plans are simple and intentional: broaden access, maintain exceptional quality, and ensure every client feels heard and supported.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebrainbalanceclinic.com
