Launching: Transition Age Youth

with Vidya Krishnan, MD

Episode 28, Season 2 | April 19, 2022

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Show Notes

Growing up is a process of moving toward independence, becoming your own person and meeting your own needs. “Launching” refers to the parental role in their child’s transition into adulthood. This process looks different for everyone — a bumpier or more meandering path for some than others. So how can you best prepare your child for a smooth launch? In today’s podcast episode, CHC’s Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director, Dr. Vidya Krishnan, shares keen wisdom and practical takeaways for supporting your child now for life on their own, while instilling the confidence that they’ll need to fly.

Guest Info

Vidya Krishnan, MD

Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director at CHC

Dr. Krishnan brings a wealth of clinical experience to her role at CHC. She believes in a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues. She aims to facilitate a mutually collaborative approach to care with a strong emphasis on therapeutic interventions to complement the use of medications. Prior to joining Children’s Health Council, she worked for almost 10 years in a group psychiatry practice. She is passionate about reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions and improving access to mental health services for our diverse communities in California.

Dr. Krishnan works with kids from a variety of backgrounds across the age and developmental spectrum, starting from grade school through young adulthood. She treats a wide range of mental health conditions that cause functional impairment. This includes but is not limited to anxiety, depression, and attention challenges, learning differences, autism, behavioral challenges and relationship difficulties with parents or peers. She is a specialist in the use of pharmacological interventions in complex presentations where there are multiple co-occurring conditions. She is also skilled in the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. She includes aspects of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in all her work with clients and families.

Dr. Krishnan is the supervising psychiatrist for the RISE-IOP at CHC. She is the site director overseeing the rotation of the child and adolescent psychiatry fellows from Stanford University who come to CHC as part of their training. She is also Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor (Affiliated) at Stanford University School of Medicine. She co-directs the Developmental Psychopathology, Psychotherapy, Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience (DP3N) Course. She also teaches the Advanced Psychopharmacology Lecture Series to 2nd year fellows. She enjoys these opportunities to teach and supervise the next generation of child and adolescent psychiatrists.

Dr. Krishnan also serves on the board of Taarika Foundation, a Bay Area non-profit working to raise awareness about mental health issues in children and adolescents. When she is not working, Dr. Krishnan enjoys reading, hiking, and cooking. She is always on the lookout for new vegetarian recipes to experiment with.