Pediatric Mental Health in Bexar County

Visit my teen (and preteen) page for more information on how I work with patients. Patients are the most important part of their own care team, and finding the right medication depends on open, honest communication about their symptoms, daily struggles, and how treatments make them feel. Teens are encouraged to speak candidly about sensitive topics—substance use, self-harm, disordered eating, or abuse—and are assured of confidentiality, with the understanding that information will only be shared with parents or authorities in situations involving serious risk.

At Pinecone Mental Health Pediatrics, all appointments are conducted via telehealth. Telehealth offers a convenient virtual visit that allows children and teens to receive mental health evaluations and medication management without the need to travel to the office. While this approach improves access to care, it does have some limitations, including the inability to perform a physical examination remotely. In certain situations, additional steps may be needed to obtain important health measurements such as height, weight, or blood pressure, and these will be discussed during your visit. Learn more about the telehealth services we provide.

Families are often hesitant about mental health medications due to past side effects or the sense that a medication "didn't work." Side effects, like nausea from SSRIs, are usually temporary and improve within weeks. Often, what looks like a medication not working is really a dosing issue—many providers stop at the low starting dose instead of titrating up to the effective range, sometimes due to limited training or excess caution. With focused training in pediatric mental health, I feel confident carefully increasing doses to reach that effective range safely, so families don't give up on a treatment too soon. I always welcome questions and concerns so we can work through them together.

Welcome to Pinecone Mental Health Pediatrics! I'm honored to provide mental health care for children and teens in Bexar County, including San Antonio, Uvalde, Devine, Hondo, Dilley, Cotulla, Lytle, Pearsall, and Laredo. As a board-certified pediatrician, I'm passionate about diagnosing and treating a wide range of mental health conditions in youth, taking a thoughtful and compassionate approach that looks beyond surface symptoms to understand what's really going on underneath.

I love encouraging young patients to take an active role in their own care, openly sharing how they're feeling and what they're experiencing with symptoms and medications. This collaborative process helps ease frustration with treatment, builds confidence, and nurtures lifelong self-advocacy skills. By weaving together insights from children, parents, and teachers, I get a full, heartfelt picture of each child's unique needs so I can create a treatment plan made just for them.

I also do my best to connect with children in a way that feels warm, age-appropriate, and genuinely fun, bringing positivity into each visit so kids feel comfortable and at ease. My hope is to create a safe, trusting space where every child feels heard, respected, and truly cared for. Contact me today with any questions or to schedule an appointment.