When I went to medical school, I thought I was signing up to care for the body. It was in psychiatry that the doctor and the minister in me finally crossed paths. My Catholic faith had already taught me to see each person as more than a problem to be solved — as someone with an inherent dignity, made in body and soul, worthy of being cared for completely. Psychiatry gave me a way to do exactly that: to care for a child’s mind, body, and spirit, all together. That conviction is the heart of how I practice today. It’s called integrative psychiatry, and if you’ve found your way here wondering what it means for your child, let me explain it the way I would if you were sitting across from me in my office.
Caring for the whole child, not just a symptom
Integrative psychiatry brings together conventional, evidence-based medicine and holistic care so that we can look at your child as a whole person — not a diagnosis, and not a list of symptoms. I believe every child carries a dignity that doesn’t rise or fall with their hardest day, and that belief changes how I look at what’s in front of me. When a child is struggling, I want to understand the whole picture: how they’re sleeping, how they’re eating, what’s happening at school and at home, the friendships they’re trying to navigate, and the deeper questions they may not yet have words for.
Symptoms matter, and we take them seriously. But my goal is never only to quiet a symptom. It’s to understand what’s underneath it, so that we can help your child build real tools that last.
What it can look like for your family
There’s no single template, because no two children are the same. Depending on what your child needs, a care plan might bring together several threads: everyday foundations like sleep, nutrition, and movement that quietly shape how we feel; therapy and skill-building; family support, because children heal best inside healthy families; and close coordination with your child’s pediatrician and other providers, so everyone caring for your child is working from the same page.
When medication is the right tool, I use it thoughtfully and never as the whole answer — it’s one part of a larger plan we build together, with you fully in the loop.
Who it’s for
I care for children, adolescents, and young adults — and for the parents walking beside them. The areas I focus on include ADHD; depression and other mood disorders; anxiety; disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD); post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Families often come to me when they sense something is off and want more than a quick fix — when they want someone to look deeper, and help their child not just cope, but grow.
Why I practice this way
For me, this all begins with my faith. As a Catholic, I believe every child is worthy of being seen, accompanied, and cared for with hope — especially in their hardest seasons. That belief is not something I set aside when I put on the white coat; it’s the reason I do this work the way I do.
I’ll also be honest with you: I don’t see mental health from the outside. My own family has walked through hard valleys, and faith is part of what carried us through. It’s part of why I can sit with a family in a difficult season and still speak honestly about hope. I’ve watched patients push through, overcome, and thrive in spite of real challenges, and it remains an honor to walk alongside families from trial to triumph.
Wondering if integrative psychiatry is right for your child?
If this approach resonates with you, I’d love to learn about your family. You can request a free 15-minute consultation, and we’ll talk about what your child needs and whether we’re the right fit.