Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in The Woodlands
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in The Woodlands
When you feel that something is wrong with your child, the hardest part is often not knowing what kind of help you need. A teacher has raised a concern. Your pediatrician has suggested an evaluation. Mornings have become a fight, or your teenager has stopped being someone you recognize. You are not trying to get a diagnosis. You are trying to understand what is happening and what to do next.
We offer child and adolescent psychiatry in The Woodlands with our team of clinicians, supporting families of children of all ages. You can choose the clinician you would like to see, or ask us to help you decide.
Our Child and Adolescent Team
Each clinician's card shows the ages they see, so you can find the right fit for your child.
Kendall Clayton, MD
Sees patients ages 2 and up First evaluation up to 90 minutes
Dr. Kendall Clayton earned her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine and completed both her psychiatry residency and her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has a particular interest in supporting development in young children and in healthy parenting practices, and has additional training in Parent Child Interaction Therapy, an evidence-based approach that works with parent and child together. She lives in The Woodlands with her husband and their two young children. Also offers therapy, for children of any age, for parents, or for both.
Idalia Ashford, PMHNP-BC
Sees patients ages 13 and up First evaluation up to 60 minutes
Idalia Ashford is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who provides care that honors the unique experiences and needs of each patient. Before earning her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, she worked as a psychiatric nurse in settings that included a psychiatric emergency room and a crisis stabilization unit. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Spelman College.
Amber Pyles, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C
Sees patients ages 13 and up First evaluation up to 60 minutes
Amber Pyles is a doctorally prepared, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who takes a holistic, evidence-based approach, building personalized care plans around each patient's needs. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. She also holds a certification in perinatal mental health from Postpartum Support International.
What Brings Families to Us
Parents most often reach out about:
Poor Focus
Depressed Mood
Sleep Concerns
You do not need to arrive knowing what is wrong. Working that out is the appointment.
Conditions We Treat
ADHD
Anxiety
Autism
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
What the First Appointment Is Like
A first psychiatric evaluation lasts up to 60 or 90 minutes, depending on which clinician you see, and each card above shows the length. The appointment begins with the parents and the child together, then allows individual time for the child to share their concerns, and brings the parents back at the end to discuss treatment planning. If desired, parents can request individual time with their child's clinician as well. It is a deep dive into your child's emotional and medical history, longer than a standard medical appointment, and most of it is conversation.
You will typically leave with an understanding of what your child's clinician thinks is going on and a plan for what happens next.
On Medication
Many parents arrive worried about exactly one thing, and it is usually not the diagnosis. It is whether the answer will be medication.
Child psychiatry is not a synonym for medication. A psychiatric evaluation is an assessment, not a prescription. Some children do benefit from medication, and for many the plan that follows is therapy, school accommodations, or working with parents. Treatment planning is personalized, with or without medication.
When medication is part of a plan, your child's clinician will explain what they are recommending and why, what to watch for, and what the alternatives are. Prescriptions go to your preferred pharmacy, follow-up appointments are scheduled, and dosages are adjusted as needed.
You are not agreeing to anything permanent at the first visit, and you are not agreeing to anything you do not understand.
Therapy Alongside Psychiatric Care
Children often do best when psychiatric care and therapy work together. We have therapists on staff who work with young patients, including counselors who see children from age seven and others who work specifically with teenagers. Some of our psychiatry clinicians offer therapy as well.
If therapy is part of your child's plan, it can happen in the same practice, which means the people treating your child can actually talk to one another.
Our Therapists
Ages 7 and up
Ages 12 and up
Ages 13 and up
Ages 14 and up
Ages 14 and up
Ages 14 and up
Ages 15 and up
ADHD and Genetic Testing
ADHD Testing
QbCheck is a computerized ADHD test available with every clinician on our team. It takes 15 to 20 minutes, is completed at home, and is FDA cleared to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. We use it:
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To help with diagnosis and measure how severe symptoms are
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When starting medication or changing a dose
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Periodically off medication, to see whether treatment is still needed
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing is available with every clinician on our team. Our PharmacoGenomics test looks at how your child's genes affect the way their body processes medication, so treatment can be personalized. Our NutriGenomics test offers genetically guided medication and supplement recommendations. Together they are designed to help:
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Reduce trial and error in finding the right medication
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Reduce side effects and drug interactions
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Improve the likelihood of a good response
Our Office
Care is provided in person at our office in The Woodlands. For follow up appointments, families are invited to choose from in person or telehealth sessions.
LifeSpring Behavioral Health
1400 Woodloch Forest Dr, Suite 575
The Woodlands, TX 77380
Insurance and Payment
We do not file with insurance. To keep appointments longer than a standard visit, we work on a self-pay basis and give you a receipt with everything you need to file for possible out-of-network benefits if you wish. Flex and HSA cards are accepted.
We would rather you know this before you book.
Request an Appointment
If you would like to book an evaluation for your child, call 281-528-1523 or complete the form below.
If You Need Help Right Now
This page is not for emergencies. If your child is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you or your child are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or other emergent safety concerns, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night.