Dr. Patty Richardson, PhD, LP
Founder and Clinical Psychologist
Welcome to Bluebird! I am a licensed clinical psychologist, pediatric expert, and the founder of Bluebird Child & Family Psychology.
As a pediatric specialist, I have devoted my life to enhancing the wellbeing of children, teenagers, and young adults (ages 0-25). I have collaborated with families in various settings and top hospital systems, including Stanford University and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. My research has been featured in prominent scientific journals.
I help my patients navigate challenges related to:
Anxiety Disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety, OCD, separation anxiety)
Depression
Major life transitions (e.g., heading to college, divorce)
School avoidance/refusal, poor student-school fit
Suicidality/self-harm
Parenting stress
Family conflict
Medical concerns: chronic pain, sleep, psychosomatic, conversion/FNSD, GI issues, POTS, EDS, AMPS, and other chronic illnesses
You may look at the list of concerns above and think, "What if my child has difficulties in many or even all of these areas?" No worries. I have expertise working with kids facing significant, longstanding challenges. I want you to know that it is possible for your child and family to feel better, tap into your resilience, and when helpful, become "unstuck"and tilt toward the kind of life you desire.
What is it like to work with me?
I started Bluebird CFP with the goal of providing families with the kind of treatment that I would want for myself or for one of my loved ones.
I am a strong believer that the key element of effective therapy with kids is connection--I want all of my patients to feel comfortable enough to be open about their successes, struggles, insecurities, and fears. I want them to feel safe enough to be real about risky decision-making and confident enough to share personal achievements.
I'll always remember an incident from my first year of therapy training as a graduate student. My clinical professor jokingly referred to my therapy style as "best friend therapy." At the time, I felt crushed, thinking he meant my approach was inadequate or unprofessional. However, over the past decade+ of practice, I now realize that his remark was likely a compliment and ... deeply accurate. I strive to ensure my patients know I genuinely care about their wellbeing. I love learning about their passions and what they take pride in, helping them realize they can channel that positive energy and motivation to improve other areas of their lives. I tend to create a positive atmosphere with a lot of laughter.
Building on the foundation of a strong therapeutic relationship, I will help your family develop a personalized coping toolkit to overcome any challenges that come your way. I draw from an array of science-based interventions rooted in the DBT, CBT, ERP, and MI traditions. I often collaborate with schools and medical teams to ensure continuity of care and I may recommend consultation with speciality providers when helpful to your goals.
I adopt the perspective that a child's wellbeing is intrinsically linked to parent and family wellbeing. This isn't a situation where I will only meet with your child. Parents are highly involved in treatment and parent and/or family sessions will likely be a part of the treatment plan.
How Long Will Treatment Be? How Often Will We Meet?
The short answer: it depends. Some patients have a particular issue that we can resolve in just a few sessions. Others value having long-term access to a mental health provider, whether for issues related to the ups and downs of their teen years or due to complex needs that require continuous support.
I take pride in tailoring my practice to meet the unique needs of each patient. Unfortunately, there's a widespread belief that therapy should always occur at a fixed frequency, such as once a month or once a week. If this approach hasn't worked for your child, it doesn't mean that therapy won't work for them. They may simply not be receiving the right amount of therapy needed to achieve their goals.
A one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate. In my practice, treatment frequency decisions are made collaboratively between my patients and me. I see some patients monthly, while others may have sessions several times a week.
For the Parents
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Let's be real: raising a child is often a rollercoaster ride. If you're raising a child, teenager, or young adult dealing with anxiety, depression, or other adjustment issues--that ride only becomes more intense. You may have put a lot of thought into your parenting and tried different approaches, but it seems like you're hitting a wall. Or perhaps you've decided to raise your children differently from how you were raised, but you're unsure of the best way to do so. I would be delighted to join your team and assist you in learning new parenting strategies tailored to your child's needs, helping you feel more secure and confident in your parenting.
For the Families
I love family therapy. It is a true gift to be able to sit down with your family in a neutral space and begin to recognize communication patterns and behaviors that aren't working for you, while charting a course for the type of family relationships you desire.
Some families seek my help to overcome issues they can't resolve on their own, while other families face such impairing communication breakdowns that they can't be in the same room without arguing. I take pleasure in helping families acquire new skills to understand each other's perspectives, connect and communicate differently, create positive family experiences, and break the cycle of repetitive arguments. You don't have to navigate this alone—I will support you every step of the way.
In my free time, you will find me outside in the sunshine with my two little nephews and pug–Blue, traveling and adventuring, out on the lake, practicing yoga, (or watching real housewives).
Care Location: I work with patients who reside in Michigan, California, and any state affiliated with PSYPACT.
Accepting New Patients? Yes
Schedule Your First Appointment With Dr. Richardson
