Dr. Brittany L. Mathews, PhD, LP, APIT

WATCHING YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS A PARENT CAN FACE. You've seen the changes. Maybe your child is more irritable, more withdrawn, or exhausted in a way that doesn't seem to fit. Maybe school has become a battleground, friendships have fallen apart, or the child you know seems to be slipping out of reach. You want to help, but it's hard to know where to start, or whether what you're seeing is "normal" growing up or something more. You're not alone, and neither is your child. Anxiety and depression are common in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, and they are very treatable. SIGNS OF ANXIETY YOU MIGHT NOTICE IN YOUR CHILD: Worrying too much or too often Irritability or a short fuse Trouble concentrating Difficulty falling or staying asleep Physical tension, such as complaints of aches or a tight body Using substances to relax or "calm their nerves" Avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable or stressful Pulling away from social situations SIGNS OF ANXIETY YOU MIGHT NOTICE IN YOUR CHILD: Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness Irritability Losing interest in activities they used to enjoy Changes in appetite or weight Trouble sleeping, or sleeping much more than usual Fatigue or low energy Statements or feelings of worthlessness Excessive guilt over things outside their control Difficulty concentrating Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide* A suicide attempt or a specific plan for suicide* *If your child has had recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, has made an attempt, or has a plan, please contact a crisis resource right away, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988). SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE, AND THERE ARE TREATMENTS THAT WORK. If this sounds like your child, you're in the right place. Effective, evidence-based therapy can help young people feel better and help families feel more connected and confident again. Dr. Brittany Mathews is a Wisconsin-licensed Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist and the owner of MindKind. She works with children, teens, and their families, flexibly adapting evidence-based treatment to fit each young person's needs and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to have all the answers before reaching out. THE THERAPY PROCESS AT MINDKIND, LLC Starting therapy with MindKind is a simple and supportive process designed to ensure the best care for you or your child. It begins with a free 15-minute consultation call (video or phone), where you can share what you or your child have been experiencing and what kind of services you are looking for. Dr. Mathews provides an overview of her evidence-based approach to assessment and therapy, how she would typically work with the issues you are facing and will answer any questions you have. You and Dr. Mathews will make sure that it feels like a good therapeutic fit for you (or your child) to work with Dr. Mathews. From there, you and Dr. Mathews will schedule a 1-hour diagnostic assessment appointment. In-person and telehealth appointments are available. Paperwork will be sent for your completion via the secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, SimplePractice. During the diagnostic assessment appointment, you will complete a clinical interview with Dr. Mathews who will gather relevant clinical and background information from you and/or your child. This session helps Dr. Mathews fully understand what you (or your child) are currently experiencing and how various factors may contribute. Dr. Mathews will then provide feedback regarding diagnostic impressions and evidence-based treatment recommendations. Together, you will develop a personalized treatment plan that includes clear, measurable goals to guide the treatment process and help track progress. Following the initial diagnostic assessment process, you (or your child) will begin attending regular therapy sessions (in-person or virtual) with Dr. Mathews, tailored to meet the treatment goals you set, using evidence-based treatment techniques and to provide ongoing support throughout the process. Throughout the process of therapy, symptoms and progress towards goals will be monitored and this data will be used to modify treatment to best meet your needs. Throughout the entire process, Dr. Mathews will work together with you and other medical providers/school staff as a team to support you (and your child) and progress towards the treatment goals that are most important to you. EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE There are great treatment options available that work to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms and give youth the skills they can use to manage difficult emotions throughout the rest of their lives. Evidence-based treatment is treatment that is based on scientific evidence. There has been research done to show that this type of treatment works to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms in children and adolescents. Not all therapies or treatments are created equal. It is very important to utilize evidence-based treatments when addressing anxiety and depression during childhood and adolescence to make sure youth get help to decrease symptoms and improve functioning or distress as soon as possible. With that said, each person is different and requires an individualized approach to treatment. Dr. Mathews works as a team with each child or adolescent (and their parent/family) to flexibly adapt evidence-based treatment to meet their unique needs, preferences, and context. For young people, evidence-based mental health treatments often include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which teaches them to understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and learn healthy strategies to manage difficult emotions and cope with stressors. Other approaches, such as behavioral activation, exposure therapy, interpersonal therapy, mindfulness-based techniques, and parent behavioral management training may also be used depending on the individual’s and family’s needs. These treatments are tailored to each young person’s developmental stage and are designed to help them build skills they need to thrive in their everyday lives. MORE ABOUT DR. BRITTANY MATHEWS AND MINDKIND, LLC I grew up on a farm in southwestern Wisconsin where I learned the values of hard work, empathy for others, and the importance of community. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with honors (2008). I then moved to Ohio to pursue advanced graduate level education and obtained masters (2012) and doctoral (2015) degrees in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology from Kent State University. I finished my clinical training at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minnesota, where I completed a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Psychology, with specialized training working with children and adolescents. I have extensive experience working with children and adolescents of all ages (0-25+) in medical settings (e.g., pediatric primary care, level-I trauma hospital, partial hospitalization program) and a variety of other mental health care settings (e.g., community-based and university-based clinics). I have loved every clinical experience I’ve had, and providing psychological services to youth brings me great joy! In addition to my clinical work, I also enjoy participating in the research process and providing instruction and supervision to learners. My research has generally focused on relationships between youth and parents, social-emotional development, and internalizing disorders (anxiety, depression). I have taught undergraduate-level courses on Child Psychology, Child Psychopathology, and Research Methods and have been involved in graduate student and medical education in various ways over the years. On a more personal note, I enjoy spending my time with my spouse and children, taking our dog for walks, reading books from different perspectives that help me broaden my world-view, practicing yoga and meditation, and having living room dance parties with my kids. The name of the psychology practice, “MindKind,” is based on two meaningful meditation practices. First, mindfulness. Mindfulness means “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.” Second, loving kindness. Loving kindness is a type of meditation, also referred to as metta, that focuses on developing compassion and cultivating love (for both self and others). Dr. Mathews aspires to embody mindfulness and loving kindness on a daily basis and to share a compassionate, mindful presence with others through her work at MindKind. Psychological services at MindKind are grounded in the core values of 1) honoring individual and collective humanity, 2) utilization of evidence-based assessment and treatment methods, and 3) ethical decision-making and behavior. It is our aim to create a safe and inclusive space to provide affirming and culturally responsive psychological health care. MindKind approaches youth identity from a developmental perspective, is affirming of LGBTQIA+ identities, and recognizes that diversity and tolerance are especially important for the development of positive ethnic-racial identity. PAYMENT Payment options at MindKind, LLC include self-pay via credit card, debit card, and Health Savings Account (HSA). Dr. Mathews is currently in-network and can accept insurance through United Behavioral Health. Please contact your health insurance provider before scheduling services at MindKind to determine which benefits are available to you for mental or behavioral health care and whether or not services from Dr. Mathews at MindKind will be covered. MindKind, LLC also contracts with Lyra. If your employer offers behavioral health benefits through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), you may qualify. Please inquire with your employer or Dr. Mathews. If you have a different health insurance provider, Dr. Mathews can provide a receipt with appropriate details (i.e., a "superbill") for you to request reimbursement from your health insurance provider after services are provided. LOCATION AND TELEHEALTH In-person appointments are available on select days (currently Mondays) at Evolve, A Community Space for Mind & Body in the Lake Country area of southeastern Wisconsin (Hartland, WI). Evolve is a warm, welcoming studio space located at the back entrance of the building, behind Generations Dental in Hartland. Please take your shoes off upon arrival at Suite 7 and find a cozy seat to begin your session. Address: 139 E. Capitol Dr., Suite 7, Hartland, WI. MindKind also provides telehealth (virtual via video) visits to individuals who live in Wisconsin (and 43 other U.S. States). Check here (https://psypact.gov/mpage/psypactmap) to see if you live in a PsyPact participating state where Dr. Mathews can provide services.