Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Stone.
Hi Crystal, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my journey in the U.S. Air Force where I proudly served my country and met my husband, who was also active duty. After I transitioned out of the military, I found myself at the same crossroads so many veterans do: “Now what?”
Having experienced the joys and frustrations of the military healthcare system firsthand (if you know, you know), I realized I wanted to be part of the solution. So, I dove headfirst into nursing school except there was one small problem, school and I weren’t exactly best friends. I worked harder than anyone I knew, but something just wasn’t clicking.
That’s when I decided to dig deeper and met with a psychologist who ran extensive testing. The results? A pretty significant case of ADHD. Suddenly, everything made sense. The struggle, the overwhelm, the constant mental “tab overload.” Once I got proper treatment, my brain finally hit the “focus” button.
With the right tools (and a whole lot of grit), I graduated nursing school, became a Family Nurse Practitioner, and launched into the world of primary care bringing medicine directly to the people who needed it most. I made house calls, visited assisted living facilities, and served memory care residents who couldn’t easily access care.
But as I worked in these communities, I realized something: so many of my patients didn’t just need physical healing, they needed mental health care. Anxiety, depression, dementia, trauma, these were the unspoken battles people were fighting every day. So, I went back to school again (because apparently I like collecting degrees), became a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and opened my own behavioral health practice.
Then came another plot twist, my own health. Years of doing house calls finally caught up to me, and my doctor gave me the hard truth: “You have to stop before this makes you sicker.” It was a tough call, but I shifted my focus fully to mental health and outpatient care and honestly, it felt like my true calling all along.
But here’s where the story really takes a turn. After years of fighting with insurance companies (and I mean fighting), I realized they were breaking rules left and right and most providers didn’t even know the rules to begin with. So, I rolled up my sleeves, got certified as a Professional Biller, Coder, and Medical Auditor, and decided to bring the fight to them.
Now, I teach providers the regulations, empower them to demand the reimbursement they’re owed, and run a billing, coding, and auditing solutions practice that advocates fiercely for their success. Because here’s the truth: if providers can’t get paid, they can’t stay open and when practices close, patients lose.
At the end of the day, I’m still doing what I’ve always done: helping people. Whether it’s a patient struggling with depression or a provider drowning in denials, I’m here to make sure they’re seen, heard, and supported.
Because if there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s this: You don’t need a straight path to make an impact, just passion, persistence, and the guts to fight for what’s right.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, not even close the road’s been full of potholes, detours, and the occasional “are you kidding me?” moment. But every bump taught me something that made me better, tougher, and more determined to build what I have today.
For starters, school was hard. I didn’t glide through nursing school with straight A’s and a Pinterest-perfect planner. I struggled a lot. There were moments when I questioned whether I even belonged in healthcare. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with ADHD that everything started to make sense from grade school to the present. Once I got the right treatment and learned how my brain worked, I was finally able to channel my energy and focus in the right direction.
Then came the balancing act of building a career while being a wife, a mother, a veteran, and a human trying to keep it all together. Working in healthcare isn’t for the faint of heart, there’s emotional exhaustion, red tape, constant changes, and a front-row seat to people’s hardest days. But I loved it, and I knew this was where I was meant to be.
When I started my own practice, the learning curve got even steeper. Running a business while caring for patients? That’s two full-time jobs. And just when I thought I’d hit my stride, my own health threw me a curveball. Years of making house calls took a toll, and my doctor told me I had to stop which was devastating, because I loved serving those patients. It forced me to pivot again and fully embrace outpatient mental health care.
And then life threw us another curveball we learned our son had Autism. At first, we were given a pretty grim prognosis, and suddenly we were thrown into a world full of unknowns, therapies, and decisions we never expected to face. There were a lot of tears, a lot of research, and a lot of trial and error as we learned how to best support him. But over time, he showed us that “different” is not “less.” He’s grown, thrived, and continues to teach us what true resilience and joy look like.
And then, of course, there’s the never-ending battle with insurance companies. If you’ve ever dealt with them, you know, they can make sainthood look tempting. But instead of letting them win, I chose to fight smarter. I went back, got certified in billing, coding, and auditing, and turned my frustration into a whole new mission: helping other providers get what they’ve rightfully earned.
We’ve been impressed with New Leaf Behavioral Health, PLLC; New Leaf Primary Care, and New Leaf Billing, Coding, and Auditing Solutions, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
New Leaf Primary Care and New Leaf Behavioral Health isn’t your average practices and honestly, we don’t want to be. We’re here to do things differently.
At our core, we’re a behavioral health and a primary care practice that believes medicine is about humans, not numbers. We meet patients where they are emotionally, mentally, and medically and work to treat the whole person, not just the diagnosis. Whether it’s managing anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, dementia, or complex medical conditions, we bring compassion, humor, and heart into every encounter.
We specialize in psychiatric and mental health services and primary care, and a strong emphasis on education helping patients understand not just their treatment, but why it matters. Our philosophy is simple: emotions like sadness or fear aren’t enemies to be eradicated, they’re signals to be understood. Medications are tools, not magic wands, and our job is to help patients build emotional resilience, self-understanding, and long-term healing.
But our brand doesn’t stop at patient care. After years of fighting insurance companies, denials, and downcoding, we expanded into something bigger, New Leaf Billing, Coding, & Auditing Solutions. We’re now known nationwide for helping medical providers take back their power and get paid what they’ve rightfully earned. We teach providers how to navigate the maze of ERISA, Medicare Advantage, and HIPAA compliance, offering consulting, auditing, and full-service billing support. In short, we fight for the people who fight for patients.
What sets us apart is our dual expertise. Led by a double board-certified Family & Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who’s also a Certified Professional Biller, Coder, and Medical Auditor. That’s rare. We understand both sides, clinical care and the revenue cycle and we use that knowledge to advocate fiercely for both patients and providers.
Mission-driven care: Every decision we make is guided by one principle: help people thrive. Whether it’s a patient finally finding the right medication after years of struggle, or a provider finally getting reimbursed after months of denials, those wins matter.
Education + Empowerment: We don’t just do the work; we teach it. From live classes and workshops to one-on-one coaching, we’re known for helping others master the rules that insurers conveniently “forget” to mention.
What we’re most proud of is our integrity and impact. We’ve built a brand rooted in authenticity, no gimmicks, no corporate fluff, no burnout-culture mentality. Our team is treated like family, our patients like people, and our clients like partners.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s this: we exist to help others turn over a new leaf.
Whether you’re a patient seeking compassionate care or a provider tired of fighting uphill battles with payers we’re here to help you rebuild, reclaim, and rise.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that your path doesn’t have to be perfect to have purpose.
Life will hand you curveballs, some you see coming, most you don’t. I’ve learned that setbacks aren’t signs to stop; they’re invitations to grow differently. Whether it was struggling through school before my ADHD diagnosis, pivoting my career after health challenges, navigating the unknowns of raising a child with Autism, or standing up to insurance giants. Every challenge taught me something invaluable about resilience, adaptability, and grace.
I’ve learned that your “why” matters more than your “how.” You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep showing up. Consistency beats perfection every time.
I’ve also learned that helping others is the ultimate antidote to burn out. When I shifted from trying to “do it all” to focusing on service, helping patients heal, teaching providers the rules, advocating for fairness, everything clicked. Purpose has a way of making even the hardest work feel worth it.
And maybe most importantly, I’ve learned that advocacy isn’t loud, it’s persistent. You don’t always need to shout to make a difference. Sometimes, the quiet, steady work of doing what’s right, day after day, is the loudest statement you can make.
Every twist in my journey has reminded me of this truth: you can turn even the hardest seasons into growth, if you’re willing to keep planting new seeds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.newleaf618.com
