Who We Help
Psychiatric Care for Teens
The teenage years bring rapid change, and it is not always easy to tell ordinary ups and downs from something that needs care. Psychiatric care for teens ages 13 to 17 includes both the teen and a parent, with room for each to be heard.
Request a ConsultChanges Parents May Notice
Parents are often the first to sense that something has shifted. Grades may slip, or a teen who once kept up with schoolwork now struggles to start assignments. Sleep may change, with late nights, trouble waking, or sleeping far more than usual. Some teens withdraw from friends, activities, or family time. Others become irritable, tearful, or quick to argue.
None of these changes means something specific on its own. Teens are growing, testing independence, and facing real pressures. What matters is how long a change lasts, how much it affects daily life, and whether your instinct tells you something is different. An evaluation is the way to understand what is going on.
What an Evaluation Looks Like
A teen psychiatric evaluation usually includes time with both the teen and a parent or guardian. The parent can share history, what they have noticed at home, and any concerns from school. The teen has a chance to describe, in their own words, what they are experiencing and what they would like to be different.
Some of the conversation may happen with the teen alone. Teens often speak more openly when they have a little space, and hearing directly from them leads to a better plan.
Questions cover mood, worry, focus, sleep, school, friendships, physical health, past treatment, and family history. Claudia may also consider whether anxiety, depression, ADHD, or OCD could be part of the picture.
Privacy and a Parent's Role
Balancing a teen's privacy with a parent's role is one of the most important parts of adolescent care. Teens are more likely to be honest when they trust that not every detail will be repeated. Parents need enough information to support their child and make decisions about care.
How that balance works is discussed openly with both of you at the start, including what kinds of information would always be shared, such as any concern about safety. Clear expectations help everyone feel respected.
Building a Plan Together
Plans are built with the teen, not just about them. A teen who has a say in their own goals is more likely to stay engaged. Care may include attention to sleep, routine, nutrition, and stress through Functional & Integrative Psychiatry.
Medication management may be discussed when appropriate. Medication is one possible tool, never a requirement, and decisions are made together with the teen and parent based on symptoms, goals, and comfort level. When therapy would help, Claudia provides referrals to trusted therapists and specialists.
How Parents Can Help Between Visits
Parents can support care by keeping communication open without pressing for every detail, noticing effort as well as results, and helping protect sleep and routine. Sharing new observations with the office, especially about safety, helps keep the plan current.
When a Teen Is Reluctant
Many teens are hesitant about seeing a psychiatric provider. They may worry that it means something is wrong with them, that they will be judged, or that their parents will hear everything they say. Starting the conversation gently can help. Choose a calm moment, describe what you have noticed with care rather than criticism, and explain that the goal is to understand how they are doing, not to label them.
It can also help to tell a teen what a first visit actually asks of them. They will be invited to talk about school, sleep, friends, mood, and what they would like to be different. They can say they do not want to answer a question. They can ask questions of their own. A free 15-minute consultation is another way for a teen and parent to get a feel for the process before committing to a full evaluation.
Scheduling Around School
Tuesday and Wednesday sessions run until 6 pm, which can make it easier to meet outside class time. Secure telehealth is available anywhere in Michigan. See fees, insurance, and FAQs, verify coverage with the office, and request a free 15-minute consultation through the contact page.
Common Questions
Does a parent need to attend the evaluation?
Yes. A teen evaluation usually includes time with both the teen and a parent or guardian. Some of the conversation may happen with the teen alone so they have space to speak openly.
What will be shared with parents?
How privacy works is discussed openly with both the teen and parent at the start, including what would always be shared, such as any concern about safety. Clear expectations help everyone feel respected.
Are appointments available later in the day?
Tuesday and Wednesday sessions run until 6 pm, which can make it easier to meet outside class time. Secure telehealth is available for patients located anywhere in Michigan.
Crisis Information
Fall Bloom Mental Health is not a crisis or emergency service. If you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately.
Treatment outcomes vary and are not guaranteed.
