Child and Adolescent Psychiatry via Telehealth: What to Expect and How to Get Started

Finding psychiatric care for a child or teenager is one of the more stressful experiences a parent can navigate. The process often involves long waits, referrals that go nowhere, and the frustration of watching a child struggle while the system moves slowly. For many families, telehealth psychiatry has changed that equation significantly, making it possible to access quality care quickly, without the logistical burden of in-person visits.

Empathy Therapy is a telehealth psychiatry practice providing care for children, adolescents, and adults across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida. Dr. Mark Chofla, a board-certified psychiatrist, works with young patients and their families on a range of challenges, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, behavioral concerns, trauma, and the difficulties that often accompany major life transitions. All appointments are conducted online. New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks. Evening appointments are available for families in New York and Florida.

Why Parents Seek Out a Private Psychiatrist for Their Child

Most families start with their pediatrician or a referral through a school counselor. What they often find is a system that is stretched thin. Appointments are brief. Waitlists at clinics and community mental health centers can stretch for months. And in larger institutional settings, the provider a child sees may change from visit to visit, making it difficult to build the kind of trust and continuity that effective psychiatric care requires.

Private telehealth psychiatry addresses several of those problems at once. There is no waitlist measured in months. The provider is consistent. Appointments are long enough to actually accomplish something. And the entire process happens from home, which removes the logistical challenge of getting a child or teenager to an in-person appointment during school hours or work hours.

One parent described their experience on Vitals:

"Dr. Chofla and his entire office epitomize excellence. Parent trying to help my adult child, has been frustrating at Kaiser and other larger institutions. Other single doctor practices never get back to you. It is infuriating. Call Dr. Chofla and they get back to you. Ask them a question and they explain. My child seems to be getting better. I for one feel more confidence than ever."

Another parent shared on Vitals:

"I highly recommend Empathy Therapy. They have helped my daughter a great deal. She is on a much more even keel. Doctors that seem to really care are often hard to find. I believe they really care here and that is palpable."

What Dr. Chofla Works On With Younger Patients

Children and adolescents present differently than adults, and effective psychiatric care for younger patients requires both clinical skill and the ability to build genuine rapport with someone who may be reluctant, anxious, or unsure about the process.

Dr. Chofla works with younger patients across a range of presentations, including: Attention and focus difficulties, including ADHD in children and teenagers who are struggling academically or socially. Anxiety, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and school-related stress. Depression and mood concerns, including low motivation, withdrawal, and persistent sadness. Behavioral challenges that are affecting home life, school performance, or relationships. Trauma responses, including difficulties that follow a significant loss, family disruption, or other stressful events. Life transitions, including the adjustment challenges that come with moving, changing schools, family changes, or the pressures of adolescence more broadly.

For families dealing with more than one of these concerns at once, which is common, the 75-minute intake appointment gives Dr. Chofla the time to understand the full picture before making any recommendations.

The Parent's Role in the Process

Psychiatric care for children and adolescents works best when parents are informed and involved. At Empathy Therapy, the intake process is designed to gather information from both the patient and the family. Parents are part of the conversation, particularly in the early stages of care, when understanding a child's history, environment, and daily functioning is essential to getting the assessment right.

For adolescents, the balance between parental involvement and the patient's own voice shifts depending on age and maturity. Dr. Chofla navigates that balance carefully, building trust with the young patient while keeping parents appropriately informed and engaged.

One parent noted on Vitals:

"Caring doctor who helped my son. Doctor Chofla was a real help in navigating what's next."

Medication Management for Children and Adolescents

Psychiatric medication for younger patients requires careful evaluation and close monitoring. Decisions about whether to use medication, which medication, and at what dose are made thoughtfully, with the child's full clinical picture in mind. At Empathy Therapy, those decisions are never rushed.

New patient intakes are 75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes. For younger patients who are starting a new medication or going through a period of adjustment, that follow-up time matters. It allows Dr. Chofla to track how a child is actually responding, hear from parents about what they are observing at home and at school, and make adjustments based on real information rather than a brief check-in.

Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents

For some younger patients, formal psychotherapy is part of the treatment plan alongside medication. For others it is the primary mode of care. At Empathy Therapy, formal psychotherapy is available through Dr. Chofla for patients who need it.

This integrated approach, where the same provider handles both the psychiatric and therapeutic work, is particularly valuable for younger patients. It means the child or teenager does not have to build a relationship with multiple providers, and it means the clinical picture stays whole rather than fragmented between a prescriber and a separate therapist who may not be in close communication.

Psychotherapy patients typically have more frequent appointments, which builds consistency and supports meaningful progress over time.

What Telehealth Looks Like for a Child or Teen

Many parents wonder whether telehealth actually works for younger patients. The short answer is that it works well for most children and adolescents, particularly those who are already comfortable with screens and video calls, which describes most young people today.

Appointments take place through a secure, easy-to-use platform. The child or teenager connects from home, which removes the anxiety of an unfamiliar clinical environment. For teenagers especially, being in their own space can lower the barrier to honest conversation. Parents can be present at the start of an appointment and step out as appropriate, or remain involved throughout depending on the patient's age and the nature of the visit.

One patient, describing their own experience as an adult with Dr. Chofla via telehealth, noted on Vitals:

"Within minutes, you certainly do forget that there is technology and miles in between you. Dr. Chofla can do this, and for this, I am grateful."

That same quality of presence translates to younger patients as well.

What to Expect as a New Patient Family

The intake appointment is 75 minutes and is priced to reflect the depth of that initial evaluation. It is an investment in getting the assessment right from the start rather than working backward from an incomplete picture.

Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Insurance is not accepted. For families who have experienced the limitations of insurance-based psychiatric care, including brief appointments, long waits, and frequent provider changes, the difference in this model is usually clear from the first visit.

New patients are typically seen within days. Scheduling is structured to keep wait times short, because families dealing with a struggling child cannot afford to wait months for an assessment.

As one parent reflected on Healthgrades:

"Dr. Chofla's support, attention to detail, and advocacy to change medication made it possible for my brother to equalize a bit. He changed all of this and gave us hope that my family will find our way through years of distress."

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dr. Chofla see children and teenagers? Yes. Empathy Therapy provides psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida.

What conditions does Dr. Chofla treat in younger patients? Dr. Chofla works with children and adolescents experiencing ADHD, anxiety, depression, mood concerns, behavioral challenges, trauma responses, and difficulties related to life transitions. Many younger patients present with more than one concern at a time.

How does telehealth work for a child or teenager? Appointments take place through a secure video platform. The child or teenager connects from home. Parents can be present throughout or step out depending on the patient's age and the nature of the visit.

How long are appointments? New patient intakes are 75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes.

How soon can we be seen? New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks.

Is psychotherapy available for younger patients? Yes. Formal psychotherapy is available through Dr. Chofla for patients who need it, allowing therapeutic and psychiatric care to be managed by the same provider.

Does Empathy Therapy accept insurance? No. Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Fees are collected at the time of service.

Are evening appointments available? Evening appointments are available for families in New York and Florida.

How do we get started? Visit www.empathytherapy.com to schedule a new patient intake. Telehealth appointments are available for children, adolescents, and adults across all seven states.