Dr. Brittany L. Mathews, PhD, LP

FEELING ANXIOUS OR DEPRESSED? Hey, if you’re here, you might be dealing with some heavy stuff – feeling stressed, worried, or just overwhelmed. It may feel like everything in life is cranked up to 11, and you’re tired of anxiety taking over your life. Or maybe you’re feeling kind of down, sad, or even depressed. It may feel like the happiness switch got stuck, and you just can’t seem to feel as good as you used to. Finding the energy or motivation to do anything feels like a major mission. You may also be here if you're a parent of an adolescent who is struggling. It can be difficult to see your child going through a hard time or not functioning at a level you know they are capable of. Anxiety and depression are common during the adolescent developmental period, and there are effective treatments available. Keep reading to find out more! 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 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 during adolescence are common, and there are great science-based treatments available. Hello! I am Dr. Brittany Mathews (preferred pronouns: she/her). I am a Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychologist and licensed to provide psychological services in the state of Wisconsin. I am passionate about providing holistic, science-backed mental health care to youth. I provide assessment and therapy services for tweens, teens, and young adults (ages 10-25) who are struggling with anxiety and/or depression. I take a whole-person approach that views each individual in the context of their broader world (e.g., family, community, culture), and I flexibly adapt treatment to meet each individual’s needs. I aim to work from a cultural humility framework, provide LGBTQ+ affirming care, and celebrate each individual’s identity. I would love to work with you! You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to discuss basic information (e.g., why you are seeking therapy, my services and approach, fees, etc.) and to determine if it feels like a good fit for both of us, Psychological services at MindKind may include: 1) a thorough diagnostic assessment where you and your family (the experts on you!) tell your story, and I gather relevant clinical information, 2) collaborative development of treatment goals based on what is important to you, 3) psychotherapy that is based on science and flexibly adapted to meet your needs, 4) ongoing assessment to monitor progress in treatment until goals are met, and 5) follow-up appointments as needed to maintain progress. EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS 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. MISSION AND VALUES The mission of MindKind is to provide evidence-based (a fancy way of saying treatment that works!) psychological services to adolescents (ages 10-25) in a way that empowers youth to embrace who they are and live a fulfilling life. 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. 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. ABOUT DR. BRITTANY 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. PAYMENT Payment options at MindKind, LLC include self-pay via credit card, debit card, and Health Savings Account (HSA). Although MindKind, LLC does not accept health insurance at this time, 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. Please contact your health insurance provider before scheduling services at Mindkind to determine if you have Out of Network (OON) benefits available to you for mental or behavioral health care. TELEHEALTH AND LOCATION I am currently offering primarily telehealth (video) visits. In-person appointments may be available on an as-needed basis at Wellspace MKE (5800 W. Burleigh St., Milwaukee, WI, 53210).