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Answering the call for kindness
Building our next generation of mental health leaders
By Nadia Laws（https://www.rgmags.com/author/nadia-law/） October 9, 2026（https://www.rgmags.com/2026/10/answering-the-call-for-kindness/）
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For Dr Tiontae Thomas, nursing has never been just a career. It is a calling rooted in compassion, service and the belief that every person deserves to feel heard.
Today, as a p sychiatric m ental h ealth n urse p ractitioner, she cares for adolescents and adults experiencing mental health challenges, supporting people through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
But her journey began long before she earned her doctorate or stepped into a clinical setting.
“ My late uncle, Lionel Thomas Jr, had a profound impact on my life, ” said Dr Thomas , 30 .
“ He was one of the kindest and most selfless people I knew. Watching the way he treated people taught me that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a lasting impact, and it is a lesson I carry with me every day as a nurse. ”
That lesson, combined with experiences during her undergraduate years at Hampton University, ultimately shaped her career path. While studying for her Bachelor of Science in n ursing, she watched many classmates quietly struggle with their mental health.
“ Those experiences reminded me that healing often begins with feeling seen and heard, ” she explained. “ People don ’ t always need someone to have all the answers. They need someone willing to listen, meet them where they are and help them believe things can get better. ”
Her growing fascination with the human mind led her to specialise in psychiatric nursing. After becoming a r egistered n urse in 2022, she continued her education, graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2025 with a Doctor of Nursing Practice and qualification as a p sychiatric m ental h ealth n urse p ractitioner.
Today, she assesses, diagnoses and treats patients across the lifespan, providing psychotherapy, prescribing medication when appropriate and working alongside families and healthcare professionals to create personalised treatment plans.
Her long-term vision reaches beyond individual patient care.
“ My goal is to bring those values home to Bermuda by strengthening mental healthcare, reducing stigma and ensuring individuals feel supported, ” she said.
“ Mental illness is something a person experiences; it is not who they are. ”
Helping her achieve that goal was the Dr Barbara Ball Public Health Scholarship.
“ What stood out to me most was Dr Ball ’ s legacy, ” she said. “ She dedicated her life to serving others and advocating for equitable healthcare in Bermuda. As someone pursuing nursing, I was inspired by a scholarship that represents compassion, service and giving back to the community.