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

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by constant anxiety or stuck in a cycle of sadness, you’re not alone. It’s hard when emotions seem to take over, leaving you feeling disconnected and unsure of how to move forward. Whether it’s the pressure of school, drama with peers, or just trying to keep up with life, it can feel like you're carrying the weight of it all. As a parent, it can be heartbreaking to watch your teenager struggle with overwhelming emotions, feeling isolated, and unable to navigate the challenges they face. Anxiety and depression can make everyday life feel unbearable for them, leaving them disconnected from friends, family, and even themselves. You want to help, but it’s difficult to know where to start. Are you or your teen experiencing anxiety? Here are a few anxiety symptoms that are commonly experienced by adolescents: • Worrying too much or too often • Easily irritated • Difficulty concentrating • Trouble falling or staying asleep • Muscle tension • Using substances to relax or “calm your nerves” • Avoiding situations that make you feel anxious or uncomfortable • Avoiding social situations Are you or your teen experiencing depression? Here is a list of depression symptoms that may be experienced by adolescents: • Feeling depressed (sad, empty, hopeless) • Easily irritated • Not getting as much enjoyment or feeling as interested in activities you used to enjoy • Changes in appetite (how hungry you feel) or body weight • Difficulty falling or staying asleep OR sleeping too much • Feeling tired or a lack of energy • Feeling worthless • Feeling guilty about things that are out of your control • Difficulty concentrating • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide* • Suicide attempt or developing a specific plan for suicide* *If you have experienced recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempt, or developing a specific plan for suicide, please contact a crisis resources such as the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (Dial: 988) immediately. If this sounds like something you or your adolescent are going through, I am so glad you’re here! Anxiety and depression are commonly experienced by teens and young adults. There is hope and help available. THE THERAPY PROCESS AT MINDKIND Starting therapy with MindKind is a simple and supportive process designed to ensure the best care for you or your adolescent. It begins with a free 15-minute consultation call, where you can share what you or your adolescent has been experiencing and what you are looking for in therapy. I will explain my approach to therapy, how I would typically work with the issues you are facing, and will answer any questions you have. We will make sure that we both feel like we are a good fit to work together. From there, we will schedule a 1-hour diagnostic assessment appointment. Paperwork will be sent for your completion via the secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, SimplePractice. During the diagnostic assessment appointment, we will complete a clinical interview where I will gather relevant information from the adolescent and parent or caregiver. This session helps us fully understand what the adolescent is currently experiencing and how various factors are contributing to the problem. We will develop a personalized treatment plan together, setting clear, measurable goals for progress. Following this, we will begin regularly scheduled 50-minute therapy sessions, tailored to meet those goals using evidence-based treatment techniques and to provide ongoing support throughout the process. Throughout the entire process, we will work together as a team to support the adolescent and their progress towards the treatment goals that are most important to them and their family. EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS There are great treatment options available that work to decrease anxiety and depression and give adolescents skills they can use 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 actually works to decrease anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents. Not all therapies or treatments are created equal. It is really important to utilize evidence-based treatments when addressing anxiety and depression during adolescence to make sure teens get the help they need as soon as possible. With that said, each person is different and requires an individualized approach to treatment. I work as a team with each adolescent (and their parent/family) to flexibly adapt evidence-based treatment to meet their unique needs, preferences, and contexts. Effective psychotherapy treatments for anxiety in adolescents that have a well-established evidence base include individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, modeling, CBT with parents, education, and CBT with medication. Effective psychotherapy treatments for depression in adolescents that have a well-established evidence base include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT; individual, group) and individual Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A). Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is short-term treatment (e.g., between 6-20 sessions) that teaches adolescents (and/or parents) specific skills for managing emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. It is an effective treatment for both anxiety and depression in adolescents. Exposure therapy is a treatment that helps adolescents confront their fears, rather than avoiding them (which tends to make anxiety worse). The clinician creates a safe, supportive environment in which to "expose" the adolescent to the situations they fear, which helps decrease fear and avoidance. Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) is a short-term treatment that emphasizes the importance of relationships in the role of depression in adolescence. It helps adolescents identify and develop more adaptive ways of addressing interpersonal issues that may relate to depression. Other evidence-based techniques (e.g., motivational interviewing, mindfulness, self-compassion) are flexibly integrated into therapy at MindKind based on each individual's and family's needs, values, and preferences. MORE ABOUT DR. BRITTANY AND MINDKIND 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) ethical decision-making and behavior, and 3) utilization of evidence-based assessment and treatment methods. It is our aim to create a safe and inclusive space to provide affirming and culturally responsive psychological health care. MindKind approaches adolescent 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. 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 MindKind currently offers primarily telehealth (virtual via video) visits to individuals who live in Wisconsin (and 41 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. In-person appointments may be available on an as-needed basis and will be located at Wellspace MKE (5800 W. Burleigh St., Milwaukee, WI, 53210).