Scarlett Mulligan

Scarlett Mulligan – Entrepreneurship as a Path To Healing

Scarlett Mulligan, PA-C, is the Founder of Novus Behavioral Health, a psychiatry practice offering advanced treatments for mental health conditions. Before founding Novus, she served in the US Air Force as an EMT and worked in various clinical settings, including primary and urgent care, orthopedics, nursing homes, and emergency medicine. Scarlett created Novus to bridge the gap in accessible psychiatric resources.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

[1:49] How feelings of loneliness led Scarlett Mulligan to join EO
[8:48] Why Scarlett started a psychiatry practice after being challenged by an employer
[11:12] Scarlett talks about growing Novus Behavioral Health and completing her first acquisition
[13:33] Entrepreneurship as a trauma response and how mental health struggles manifest in business owners
[17:07] An overview of interventional psychiatry treatments, including TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and ketamine therapy
[19:24] How families can support loved ones struggling with mental illness
[27:33] Scarlett shares her sobriety journey and her decision to practice grace daily
[34:14] The role of curiosity and relentlessness in Scarlett’s business growth

In This Episode

Entrepreneurship can be both exhilarating and isolating. Many founders pour everything into their businesses until burnout or personal crisis forces them to pause. How can you rebuild when your drive becomes your downfall and the weight of leadership feels too heavy to carry alone?

Psychiatric physician’s assistant Scarlett Mulligan reminds entrepreneurs that mental health isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation for sound decisions, creativity, and leadership. She advises forming genuine connections, facing emotional pain instead of numbing it, and practicing grace daily toward yourself and others. Scarlett maintains that truth comes from self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to heal.

In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson sit down with Scarlett Mulligan, Founder of Novus Behavioral Health, to discuss mental wellness and grace in entrepreneurship. Scarlett shares how carbon monoxide poisoning impacted her mental and physical health, why entrepreneurship can stem from trauma, and how recovery taught her to lead with compassion and clarity.

Quotable Moments:

“Employment is an illusion of safety. We’re not guaranteed that job. Entrepreneurship allows more certainty and control.”
“Entrepreneurship is a trauma response. All these components of how we navigate do line up with trauma.”
“Medications manage. Counseling cures. If we’re going to put a chemical in our bodies, explore deeper.”
“When you can practice grace internally, then it comes very much more naturally externally.”
“I’ve decided that I’m contentedly restless. The idea is to be restless from love and growth.”

Action Steps:

Acknowledge when you need help: Reaching out for community aid or mentorship prevents isolation and restores perspective during challenging times.
Prioritize mental health in leadership: Protecting your emotional well-being ensures clearer decisions and a sustainable business journey.
Practice grace daily: Extending grace to yourself and others builds resilience, fosters compassion, and strengthens workplace culture.
Explore holistic treatment options: Considering therapies like counseling, TMS, or ketamine offers new hope for long-term mental recovery.
Stay curious and growth-focused: Viewing challenges as opportunities for learning drives innovation and personal fulfillment in entrepreneurship.