Minds That Matter gives peace of mind

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Poonam Khanna opened Minds that Matter recently to serve the needs of children and adults in Kansas City. With a range of expertise on mental, behavioral, developmental and emotional disorders, Dr. Khanna offers treatment that will give children and their families the answers they need.

Minds That Matter
Owner: Dr. Poonam Khanna, D.O.
14221 Metcalf Ave., Ste. 123
Overland Park, Kansas
Phone: 913-912-7054
Website: mtmkc.com

Discover the Potential
I remember flying into the KC airport many years ago for a medical school interview. I had never been to Kansas City, but I remember thinking how far away it seemed from where I grew up, so I had no intention of staying. Yet here I am today, and I cannot think of any other place in the world I would rather call home.

As the child of a neurosurgeon and a child psychologist, I developed a great interest in how the brain impacts every level of who we are. I went to medical school at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB). After completing my general psychiatry residency at Case Western Reserve University and my Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at The Menninger Clinic and KU Med Center, I practiced medicine as an assistant clinical professor at KU Med for the next nine years, specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry.

My academic role allowed me to supervise, train and educate residents and fellows while also seeing my own private patients. My board certification in adult  and child adolescent psychiatry allows me to treat people no matter their age. I am a medical doctor specializing in the recognition, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of those with difficulty in thinking, feeling and behavior. I prescribe medications that are warranted and indicated in the treatment of illnesses.

There are a number of disorders I treat, including anxiety (OCD, PTSD, school phobia, social phobia and panic disorder), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), pervasive developmental delay, Asperger’s disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), exposure to trauma and/or disasters and psychosis. I continue to teach and lecture as a volunteer faculty member at KU Med and as an assistant clinical professor at KCUMB.

Now that I have three school-age children, I want to be part of a wider community outreach, and so I established a solo practice, Minds that Matter, in Overland Park.

As a parent, I know what it feels like to worry about one’s child. We don’t have handbooks to guide us through every situation as a parent. However, if you and your child continue to come back to the same issues, it is time to seek help. Everyone has little bumps in the road, but it is important to assess if this is something that will resolve itself or continue to grow and get worse. The best policy is to seek help and get an evaluation. It is worth it to get peace of mind instead of looking back and wishing you had sought help earlier. I believe a healthy mind leads to peace of mind.

Patients at Minds that Matter deserve to have the time to discuss sensitive topics and feel that they are being heard. Each person I see is given individualized and comprehensive care. I look at the genetic, developmental, physical, cognitive, educational, emotional, familial and social aspects of a child’s life. Any or all of these may contribute to the difficulties experienced within the family.

Children should have every chance at having a successful and quality life. That is why early detection and intervention, prevention, and stability are so critical in helping children. Minds that Matter is an advocate for these children, and I feel fortunate and privileged that parents and caregivers entrust me with the well-being of their children and family unit.