Anxiety, Depression & Mood Support
Your child deserves more than a prescription and a referral. We look at the whole picture — and we build a plan that actually fits their life.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Children and teens carry more than most people realize. You're right to take it seriously.
"She says her stomach hurts every morning before school. The doctor says nothing's wrong physically. But something is clearly wrong."
"He used to be so social. Now he won't leave his room. I don't know if this is a phase or something I should be more worried about."
"We went to our pediatrician and left with a therapy referral and were put on a waitlist. That was four months ago. We're still waiting."
"She worries about everything — tests, friendships, the future. I don't want to dismiss her feelings, but I also don't know what to do with them."
"We tried medication once and it felt like a shot in the dark. I want someone who will actually explain what we're doing and why."
"His teacher says he seems 'checked out.' We think he's depressed but our regular doctor doesn't have time to really dig in."
Whether this is new territory or you've been navigating this for a while — we meet you where you are.
Something feels off — but we don't have answers yet
Your child is struggling. You're not sure if it's anxiety, depression, something else — or just "a phase." You need a real evaluation, not a rushed appointment.
What this means for your family:
- Your child's mood, behavior, or physical symptoms have shifted
- You're not sure what you're dealing with or how serious it is
- Your pediatrician hasn't had time to dig in
- You want clarity before deciding on any next steps
What we do:
- Comprehensive mood evaluation — anxiety, depression, and OCD screening
- Private, age-appropriate conversation with your child or teen
- Parent interview covering history, stressors, school, and home life
- Whole-child assessment: sleep, nutrition, activity, screen time, and social factors
- Validated screening tools (not just a gut check)
- Clear diagnosis or clinical impression when indicated
- Written next-step plan: coping strategies, school supports, therapy recommendations, and more
Already diagnosed — but still struggling
You have a name for it. What you don't have is a plan that's actually working — or a provider who has time to stay involved.
What this means for your family:
- Anxiety or depression has been identified, but support feels thin
- Medication was started somewhere else but it doesn't feel quite right
- Therapy is happening but you want medical coordination alongside it
- School is getting harder and you don't know what to ask for
What we do:
- Full mood intake — review current symptoms, stressors, and what's been tried
- Medication review, optimization, or initiation when appropriate
- Whole-child supports: sleep hygiene, nutrition protocol, physical activity guidance
- School coordination: letters, accommodation recommendations, 504 support
- Therapy coordination — we work alongside your child's therapist, not instead of them
- Ongoing Support Membership for consistent monthly check-ins
Our Approach to Anxiety & Depression
We don't default to "here's a prescription, here's a referral." We start with the whole picture.
Most families come to us having already heard the same two things: get a referral for therapy and here's something to try in the meantime. We understand why that's frustrating. And we do things differently.
Before we recommend anything, we want to know your child. Not just their symptoms — their sleep, their eating, how much they're moving, what school feels like, what home feels like. These questions matter because anxiety and depression in kids are rarely caused by one thing, and they're rarely fixed by one thing either. A child who's chronically under-slept and deficient in vitamin D is a different clinical picture than a child who's well-rested and struggling socially. The plan should reflect that.
We look at the whole child, including specific nutritional factors — omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin D, iron — with real evidence behind them for mood support in children. Sleep and mood are deeply intertwined, each making the other worse when neglected. Physical activity is one of the most powerful and most underused tools we have for pediatric anxiety and depression. These aren't afterthoughts in our approach. They're part of our foundation.
Medication is also part of our toolkit for some children — and we want to say that clearly. When it's the right call, we're not hesitant. SSRIs are well-studied in children and teens, and for some kids they're genuinely life-changing. What we promise is that we'll always explain our reasoning, we'll monitor closely, and medication will be part of a bigger plan — never a substitute for one.
Finally, if your child is already working with a therapist, we want to work with them too. Research is consistent: therapy and medication together outperform either one alone. We're not here to replace that relationship — we're the medical side of the same conversation.
The Whole-Child Evaluation
Emotional & Behavioral
- 😟 Anxiety screening (GAD-7, SCARED, or equivalent)
- 😔 Depression screening (PHQ-9 or equivalent)
- 🔁 OCD screening when indicated
- 👦 Age-appropriate child interview — private and unhurried
- 👨👩👧 Parent interview covering home, school, and history
Physical & Lifestyle Factors
- 😴 Sleep quality and duration assessment
- 🏃 Physical activity patterns
- 🥦 Nutritional review: omega-3s, magnesium, iron, vitamin D
- 📱 Screen time and social media patterns
- 🏫 School environment, social stress, academic pressure
Medical & Support Planning
- 💊 Medication review or initiation when appropriate
- 📄 School accommodation letters (504/IEP support)
- 🤝 Therapy coordination and referrals
- 📅 Ongoing Support Membership for continued care
We accept BCBS, Aetna, UHC, and Medicaid. Insurance verified before your first visit.
Let's talk about medication — honestly.
We know many parents come in hoping to avoid medication. We respect that. And in plenty of cases, the right combination of sleep support, nutrition, physical activity, coping strategies, and therapy makes a real difference without it.
We also know some parents come in having watched their child struggle for months or years — and they're ready for medication to be part of the conversation. We respect that too. For many children with anxiety and depression, medication is genuinely helpful — sometimes transformative.
What we commit to is this: we'll never prescribe medication as a substitute for understanding your child. We'll explain our reasoning, discuss the options, monitor carefully, and adjust based on what we're seeing. Medication, when used, is always part of a bigger plan — not the whole plan.
How It Works
From first contact to a plan that's actually working — here's what the journey looks like.
Step 1 — Fill Out the Form
2 minutes. Tell us what's going on and where you are — first signs, or already in the thick of it. Our team reaches out within 1 business day to confirm your spot and insurance.
Step 2 — Your Initial Visit (60–75 min)
Step 3 — Your Plan + Ongoing Support
You leave with a written summary, clear next steps, and — if it fits your family — enrollment in the Ongoing Support Membership: monthly visits, medication monitoring, therapy coordination, and a team that stays involved as your child grows.
Most families feel more hopeful and more organized after the first visit. That's not an accident — it's the point.
What is the Ongoing Support Membership?
Anxiety and depression aren't always solved in one visit. For families who need consistent support, we stay involved — month by month, adjustment by adjustment.
Consistent Monitoring
Monthly visits (in-person or telehealth) to track mood patterns, review what's working, and catch problems before they escalate. You have a team who knows your child — not a new face every time.
Coordinated Care
We work alongside your child's therapist, school counselor, and teachers. You stop being the messenger between everyone. We handle the coordination.
Adjustable Plans
Kids change. Seasons change. School years start and end. The plan adjusts with them — medication tweaks, new school accommodations, updated strategies for big transitions.
The Ongoing Support Membership is billed through your insurance for covered visit types. Fill out the form below and our team will walk you through what's included.
Is Frontier Clinics the right fit?
Great fit
- • Your child or teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, worry, or low mood
- • You want more than a quick prescription or a therapy referral with a long waitlist
- • You're open to a whole-child approach that includes lifestyle, nutrition, and sleep
- • You want a provider who will actually stay involved month to month
- • You're in Nebraska (in-person) or a telehealth-eligible state (NE, IA, IL, KS, FL, TX)
- • You have BCBS, Aetna, UHC, Medicaid — or are self-pay
- • Your child also has ADHD or another condition — we coordinate across all of it
Different path
- • Your child is in active psychiatric crisis or needs inpatient-level care → We will help you find the right immediate resource
- • You're looking specifically for therapy — we provide the medical side and refer to therapy; we don't do therapy ourselves
- • Your child is already thriving with a specialist team → Genuinely great — we may not be needed
- • You're outside our telehealth states → Contact us anyway, we're expanding
If your child is having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room. We are a clinic, not a crisis service — but we take safety seriously and will help you navigate next steps.
Questions parents ask us before reaching out
Families who came in overwhelmed. They left with a plan.
"We'd been to two other doctors who basically told us to find a therapist. Dr. Boucher was the first person who actually looked at everything — her sleep, her diet, her school situation. We finally feel like we know what we're dealing with."
— Mom of an 11-year-old, Lincoln NE
"My son has anxiety and ADHD. Every other provider treated them separately. Frontier looks at the whole picture together. It's made an enormous difference."
— Dad of a 13-year-old, Telehealth Patient
Ready to get your child the support they deserve?
Fill out the form below. Our team will reach out within 1 business day, confirm your insurance, and walk you through exactly what comes next. No commitment required.
We respond within 1 business day. No commitment required until you're ready.
If your child is experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of self-harm, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.