Depression and Anxiety

It is common for children and teens to experience mood changes and daily stressors.  

There are times when mood changes become unpredictable, intense, uncontrolled, and impact daily life, and when this happens it may be symptoms of depression or a mood disorder.

There may also be times when daily stressors build into anxiety, worry, nervousness, and fear.  These symptoms may impact friendships, school performance, relationships with siblings and parents, and participation in hobbies. 

Anxiety is often an advanced word that many children will verbalize in different ways.  You might hear words like "worry" "stress" "nervous" or hear about stomachaches, headaches, fingernail biting, or even motor tics. It may also include:

  • Changes in behavior like missing school, acting scared or upset, or refusing to talk or do things.

  • Changes in sleep, trouble sleeping, waking up at night with bad dreams, or wetting the bed.

  • Changes in mood, feeling tense and fidgety, or crying.

  • Changes in eating habits, eating more or less than usual.

  • Changes in concentration, having difficulty concentrating at school or in sports and hobbies. 

  • Other signs may also include being clingy, quickly getting angry or irritable, or having negative thoughts.


Our clinical team has extensive experience working with children and teens with serious mental health symptoms.  This includes treated children in inpatient units, residential treatment facilities, and outpatient centers.

We can assess for Depression, Mood, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, early onset psychosis, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and other significant mental health symptoms.   

Once we meet for the parent meeting, we will have a better idea of what specific areas will be assessed. 

what does anxiety look
like in kids and teens?

Depression in children and teens can includes sadness, isolation, and withdraw from things they used to be interested in. It may also include:

  • Being lonely, unhappy, irritable, and crying. 

  • Self critical statements such as, "I can't do anything right." "I don't have any friends." "I can't do this." and "It's too hard for me."

  • Lack of energy and effort. Giving up easily and low motivation.

  • Sleep and eating changes. Some children may seem more tired, not feel like eating or may overeat. 

  • Increase in aches and pains. Some children may have stomach aches or other pains. Some miss school days because of not feeling well.
 


what other mental health
symptoms will you 
assess for?

What does depression 
look like in kids and teens?

We believe that all children and teens want to be successful at school, at home, and with others.  Children and teens strive for connection, being understood, and thrive in environments where they have safety and stability.  

When an accurate diagnoses is made, your child can begin receiving and participating in the correct services to positively impact their health, and overall safety and stability. 






Schedule A Consultation

why is it important to
assess for depression,
mood, and anxiety?

What's the best next if I 
am concerned about my
child's mental health?

The best next step is to schedule a 15-minute consultation so you can ask any specific questions about the assessment process and we can coordinate calendars to schedule the assessment.  

We are currently scheduling two-weeks from the initial phone consultation.

now we have direction

Dr. Griffiths and her team helped me better understand PDA and how this was affecting my son at school.  We know have all the right supports in place and I feel more confident as a parent. 

helped getting services

We were able to use the assessment from AZ Peds Center to get DDD services in our home and my daughter is making progress in the areas we were concerned about. 

helped at school meeting

I was so grateful to have Mr. Albaugh attend the first IEP meeting with me.  He was able to share the assessment with the team and help create goals.

I felt really welcome

My daughter has a lot of energy and Dr. Ford was so patient and kind to her.  It really helped me feel at ease knowing they could keep up with her active energy.

What makes us different

We Do Details

Every assessment includes an understanding of your child's strengths and areas of growth.  We collaborate with teachers, pediatricians, therapists, family members, and medication providers. 

We're Personal

Our office is designed to look  and feel like your living room.  Your child will feel at home and relaxed for the assessment.  We don't do stuffy or big fancy words that real people don't understand.  Our reports are easy to understand.  

We're Experienced

We went to school for a long time to earn those little letters after our names. We also worked in a variety of settings with different kids and families (so nothing really shocks us).  Our team also continues to attend trainings, obtain certifications, and keep up to date with recent research and mental heath concerns. 

Phone Consult

Let's talk more about working together

Multiple openings every week for us to schedule 15-minutes to talk through the process.  We'll talk about your concerns, goals, and how we develop a strength-based assessment for your child. 

Inquire now