• 9440 W Sahara Ave Suite 237
  • Las Vegas, NV 89134
  • Call us 702-765-4965
  • Email [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

We are dedicated to making a safe and comfortable atmosphere at Life Bridge Kids, and are doing our part to stop the spread of COVID-19. Masks are required to be worn by everyone who enters our office, including staff, patients, and guests. We are also implementing touchless temperature checks, and hand sanitizer is available upon request. To encourage safe social distancing, only one family at a time will be allowed to occupy the waiting room, and our children's play area is closed. Finally, we offer telehealth sessions for patients who do not wish to enter the office; for more information, consult our services page.
The choice to take medication, or allow your child to take medication, should come from a highly-informed position. We at Life Bridge Kids are here to answer any questions you may have. Our approach to prescribing medication is conservative and measured, and we know that not all patients will need medication. Through our holistic method, we examine the “big picture” of mental wellness, acknowledging both the biological and external factors that can dramatically influence behavior. The decision to utilize medications in you or your child’s treatment is ultimately yours, and we will not prescribe medication unless you are comfortable with that decision.

 

Your initial visit to our clinic is evaluation only. The doctor will discuss the pros and cons of a particular treatment with you during that time before a plan is established. The best plan is one that has the support of all its participants.

A Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of behavior, thoughts, and feelings, with a focus on how these conditions manifest within children and adolescents. These mental health professionals use their expertise—developed through years of medical training and practical experience—to deliver high quality treatment to their patients.

The psychiatrists at Life Bridge Kids provide both medication management and psychotherapy. Historically, all psychiatrists used to offer psychotherapy hand-in-hand with the prescription of medication. In recent years, however, there has been a trend toward only providing medication management, often due to the constraints set by insurance companies. Many insurance providers will only reimburse psychiatrists for medication visits. Due to this pressure, many psychiatrists have stopped providing any kind of psychotherapy, as it does not pay to do so. Despite this, studies have shown the efficacy of treatment plans that include both medication and psychotherapy. Our holistic approach stems from this scientific basis, and we provide an array of treatment methods at our practice as a result.

  • Cognitive Behavior Techniques
  • Family Therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Psychopharmacology (Medication Management)

We treat a wide array of mental disorders and conditions at our clinic—far too many to form a comprehensive list. However, some of the more common disorders we treat are shown here:

  • Anxiety
  • Aspergers
  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD)
  • Autism
  • Bipolar
  • Depression
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Psychosis

When seeking out a doctor, you should feel comfortable, have the ability to ask questions, and feel that your concerns are addressed as a result of your evaluation. When selecting a care professional, you should never work with an individual that does not fit these criteria. In addition, it is a good idea to look into a doctor’s educational credentials and work experience, as well as whether or not that doctor is board-certified in their field of specialty.

 

At Life Bridge Kids, we are dedicated to finding the best care for our patients. If for any reason we are not the right fit for you, we're open to referring our patients to other professionals/practices who maintain our same high standards of excellent care.

 

If you would like to learn more about our highly-qualified professionals, find them under our “Meet our Team” page.

While both psychologists and psychiatrists are involved in the realm of mental health, their differences result from their respective fields of study. Psychiatrists are those who have completed their post-graduate doctoral studies, earning them a medical doctorate (MD). They focus on the biological aspects of treatment, and have the qualifications necessary to prescribe medications. A psychologist, on the other hand, focuses on the study of human cognition and behavior. A psychologist who has completed their doctorate will possess either a doctorate of philosophy or psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D, respectively). A psychologist can provide various kinds of talk therapy, generally referred to as psychotherapy, and can help individuals with emotional and behavioral challenges. Frequently psychologists and psychiatrists will work together to provide integrated care.

Child and adolescent psychiatric training requires 4 years of medical school, and 3-4 years of approved psychiatric residency training. This residency trains a prospective psychiatrist in medicine, neurology, and general adult psychiatry. On top of that, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist requires an additional 2 years of specialized training in the psychiatric care of children, adolescents, and their families, in an accredited Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. This yields a total of at least 9 years of study and specialized practice after an undergraduate degree.

During the general psychiatry training years, the physician becomes competent in the fundamentals of the theory and practice of psychiatry. Within the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, the physician acquires a thorough knowledge of child and family development, as well recognition and treatment of abnormal behaviors and disorders. Special emphasis is given to disorders that appear in childhood, such as:

  • Pervasive Developmental Disorders
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Mood Disorders
  • Depressive and Anxiety Disorders
  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Drug Dependency
  • Delinquency

The Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship is designed to provide treatment of a full spectrum of illnesses; from relatively benign disruptions in behavior, to some of the most difficult cases. Active partnership with other specialists, including therapists and pediatricians, make a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist the cornerstone of comprehensive care for a child or adolescent with a mental illness.

An Inpatient Clinic is for patients that need more intense care and treatment—specifically care that may require an overnight stay in a facility for one or more nights. Some inpatient clinics are stand-alone, while others are part of a larger hospital. Generally, inpatient clinic facilities are working with patients that have more severe mental illnesses.

Conversely, an Outpatient Clinic will see a patient during a specific window of time. A visit to an outpatient clinic is typically divided into initial evaluations and follow-ups. The initial evaluation can last for an hour or more, while follow-up visits are usually an hour or less. Outpatient clinics exist for patients that do not require overnight hospitalization, but rather can be treated through regular, structured visits. Life Bridge Kids is an Outpatient Clinic, and does not provide overnight stays as a part of its services.

A Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist can address concerns about what is considered “normal” and abnormal in a particular child. The following behaviors should indicate consideration for further evaluation by a psychiatrist:


Younger Children 

  • Hyperactivity; fidgeting; constant movement beyond regular playing
  • Recurrent nightmares
  • Persistent disobedience, aggression or opposition to authority figures such as parents and teachers
  • Frequent and inexplicable temper tantrums
  • Refusal to go to school
  • Unexplained and repeated stomach complaints


Adolescents 

  • Marked change in school performance
  • Inability to cope with problems
  • Marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits
  • Frequent physical complaints
  • Sexual promiscuity
  • Prolonged negative mood (usually accompanied by poor appetite, difficulty sleeping)
  • Thoughts of death
  • Recurrent nightmares
  • Thoughts of causing harm to oneself or others
  • Self destructive behavior and habits (smoking, alcohol or drug abuse
  • Frequent outbursts of anger and aggressio
  • Threats to run away
  • ggressive or non-aggressive violation of the rights of others; opposition to authority
  • Theft & vandalism
  • Strange thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or unusual behaviors

Yes. While we can provide both psychotherapy and medication management, we will frequently see patients who utilize our medication management services alone. Oftentimes, the patient in question is already seeing a therapist outside of our clinic, and does not require our psychotherapy services. At Life Bridge Kids, we support and respect the existing relationship patients may have with other professionals and treatment providers. We endeavor to coordinate care with both therapists and physicians outside of our staff, in order to provide the best integrated care possible.

While Life Bridge Kids specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents, our care is not exclusive to them. We generally take adult patients if they are a parent or relative related to one of our existing child/adolescent patients. While this is a more typical scenario, our clinic is open to patients of all ages, and provides treatment for the same disorders in adults that we treat in children and adolescents.

The first appointment with us will include a thorough Initial Evaluation, allowing our clinicians to assess and diagnose the patient. Depending on the patient’s availability and comfort, this meeting can be face-to-face, or over video. In the case of a child or adolescent patient, we ask that their parents attend this first meeting. The first appointment is up to 90 minutes in length. Follow-up appointments are typically 20-30 minutes, or up to an hour.

Please contact the office directly (702-819-8732) for up-to-date information regarding our fees.

Life Bridge Kids is a Direct Care Health Provider, this means we do not let third parties - like insurance companies - dictate the care of our patients. This means we do not accept any insurance, which allows us to focus all of our effort on each patient that comes for treatment. Read more about the benefits of direct care here.

At Life Bridge Kids, your information is held in the strictest confidence. HIPPA, state, and federal privacy laws govern the communication between you and your health care provider, protecting your privacy. We may not share your private information with anyone for any reason. The only exceptions come as a result of one or more of the following scenarios:

  • Suspected abuse
  • If a patient is threatening serious bodily harm to another party
  • If a patient intends to harm themselves

Payments are due at the time of service. A block of time is reserved for your appointment, and we will not book any other patients during this time.

Cancellation requires at least two business days of advanced notice, not including weekends. For example, if you have an appointment on Monday afternoon, you would need to cancel by Thursday afternoon. Any cancellation within less than 2 business days of your scheduled appointment, or failure to appear for an appointment, will require payment equal to the full charge for a visit. Arriving late to your appointment will not result in a cancellation charge. However, with the limited time remaining in the appointment, all your concerns or questions may not be addressed. You will likely need to schedule another meeting as a result, in order to ensure a complete evaluation or follow-up visit. This approach allows Life Bridge Kids to provide the best patient experience possible, while ensuring that our patients have our full attention during their visits. Through mutual respect and cooperation with our clinic, your visits will be highly productive and positive experiences.