Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP

Researcher, Nurse Practitioner, Professor, disability advocate. @DukeMedSchool @dukemargolis @UNCCIDD. She/Her/Dr. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

It still suprises me when people say "you can get a PhD in nursing?" My response - absolutely like other PhDs #PhD #Nurses generate much needed knowledge. My thought - nurse scientists I know are among the top intellectuals I know in breath and depth. You should meet them!

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

And next month, Being Heumann, for which Jim served as an executive producer, arrives on Apple TV on November 13!

Watch, spread the word, and keep the conversation—and the work of advancing disability rights—going.

#DisabilityRights #DisabilityRepresentation #CripCamp

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

How cool to moderate this conversation with Jim LeBrecht and Ryan Manriquez! We talked about the importance of disability representation in the media, disability rights, and what each of us can do to keep pushing those rights forward.
#DisabilityRights #DisabilityRepresentation

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

I first watched Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution when it was released on Netflix in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. It’s a must-watch! Getting to talk with Jim made this conversation especially meaningful.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Have an idea you want to bring to life? A team feeling stretched? A room full of people you’d love to inspire? Let’s connect!

Live Well. Lead Fully. Thrive Together. 💛

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

I’ve been creating something, and I’d love to share it with you! ✨

In December 2025, I founded Optimizing Health Collaborative (OHC)—bringing together my experience as a scientist, nurse practitioner, coach, and creativity liberator.
Take a look around: https://t.co/oQbdADJqPN

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Through coaching, consulting, and speaking, I help people and organizations find clarity, make room for creativity, and build healthier, more inclusive ways to live and work.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Still savoring Iceland. 🇮🇸 Not just the memories and relationships that deepened, but the lessons and new perspectives I brought home.

Over the next week, I'll share a few moments that changed the way I saw something—and what I'm still learning from them.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is disappear for a minute.

Long pauses.
Deep work.
Salt air.
Perspective.

This weekend reminded me that clarity rarely comes from pushing harder.
It comes from creating enough space to hear yourself again. 🌊

#Leadership #Growth

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

The celebration, the disappointment, the loyalty, the hope — all of it is part of what makes sports, teams, and community meaningful.
Grateful for the memories, the perspective, and the amazing people I got to share it with.
Game 2 awaits.

Go Canes. ❤️🖤

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Last night reminded me why sports matter so much more than the scoreboard.

Watching Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals with friends, surrounded by the energy, hope, disappointment, and resilience of the moment, was something I will never forget.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

And maybe most importantly — there is always another opportunity ahead. Another game. Another chance to regroup, reconnect, and rise again.
There was something powerful about watching people experience both the highs and the hard moments together.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

May we continue creating systems and communities that support health, dignity, and belonging.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Today, I’m reflecting on the individuals and families whose lives have been forever shaped by service and sacrifice.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

As someone who works at the intersection of health, leadership, and systems, I’m continually reminded that caring well for people requires us to see the full context of their experiences, both visible and invisible.

Remembering with gratitude today.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

And maybe the most meaningful part is the uninterrupted time. Real conversations. Laughter. Presence. The kind that reminds you how rare and special these moments are.

These days are a gift. 🤍

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

There’s something about New Mexico—the vast skies, the quiet strength of the land, the way the light settles differently here that invites me to slow down and really see.

[Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP @michellescotton]

Tucked inside my friend Marlyn’s home, I’ve found the coziest corner to write, think, create and work remotely. The kind of space that feels both grounding and expansive at the same.