What if the best mental health care for a child is not only about medication, but about treating the whole person? In this episode of Decoding a Sane Mind, we sit down with Dr. Lea Lis, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Mindful Kid, to explore integrative mental health care for children, teens and adults. Learn why children do not live in a bubble, how working with pediatricians and schools can improve care, and why she aims to use as little medication as possible while still using it when it’s needed. Dr. Lis also shares how she built Hampton Insight, her integrative practice in the Hamptons. She serves patients in person and by telehealth in New York and Florida, and consults with about seven school districts. She explains therapy approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and internal family systems (IFS), and walks through newer options offered at Hampton Insight, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), the five-day Stanford TMS protocol, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, hormones and peptides. She also describes how she uses Gemini to write notes, reports, behavior plans, social stories for children with autism, and letters to insurance companies, and why she won’t use AI chatbots with patients who may be in crisis. In this episode, you’ll learn: What integrative psychiatry looks like for children, teens and adults Why working with pediatricians, schools and families matters for a child’s mental health How CBT helps people become “a scientist in their own world” How DBT adds mindfulness and communication skills, and why it works well for parents and teens together How internal family systems (IFS) helps people talk to the different “parts” of themselves What TMS feels like, who it may help, and how treatment protocols work How the five-day Stanford TMS protocol works for treatment-resistant depression How ketamine-assisted psychotherapy differs from nasal ketamine When pediatricians and school counselors should refer a child to a psychiatrist How Dr. Lis uses Gemini to save time on notes, reports, behavior plans and insurance letters Why she won’t use AI chatbots for patient intake or crisis calls What she believes is lost when therapy moves from in-person to virtual sessions Dr. Lis also shares how growing up on Long Island as the daughter of Italian immigrants, volunteering in psychiatric wards as a teenager, and logging around 3,000 hours of community service before finishing high school shaped her path into psychiatry. She reflects on the influence of her aunt, a psychiatric social worker, her late father, and mentors including IFS founder Dick Schwartz. She also talks about the “benevolent neglect” of a free-range childhood, how over-parenting can create anxiety in kids, and why she believes in rituals, including the death ritual she created for her father. Whether you are a parent, a patient, a clinician or a referral partner, this conversation offers a practical look at how integrative care, modern treatments and thoughtful use of technology can help children and families get better, more complete care. About Decoding a Sane Mind Decoding a Sane Mind brings together patients, families, clinicians, and practice leaders to explore the real questions behind mental health care, including when to seek help, how treatment decisions are made, and why access can be so difficult. 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations about mental health care, technology, productivity, and the people working to make care more human, effective, and accessible. #ChildPsychiatry #AdolescentMentalHealth #IntegrativePsychiatry #MentalHealth #TMS #KetamineTherapy #CBT #DBT #Healthcare #DecodingASaneMind
