Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health PFBH

04/16/2026

Heart conditions don’t just impact the body, they can deeply affect mental health as well. Yet many psychiatric practices hesitate to treat patients with complex medical conditions like cardiac disease.

At Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health, we take a different approach.

Dr. Javier Santos Cubiña, a triple board-certified psychiatrist with extensive experience in treating patients with co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions, leads our commitment to whole-person care. Our team is specifically trained to safely and effectively support individuals living with heart conditions, addressing anxiety, depression, and emotional stress alongside their medical care.

We believe patients shouldn’t have to choose between managing their physical health and receiving quality mental health support.

Learn more in our latest blog post.

For many individuals, a heart diagnosis doesn’t just affect physical health, it changes how they think, feel, and live day by day. A new diagnosis, hospitalization, or chronic cardiovascular illness can bring fear, uncertainty, and significant adjustments in life. At Pediatric and Family Behaviora...

04/10/2026

April is Autism Awareness Month! What we see as "behavior" is often communication. When we take time to understand it, everything changes! Save this as a reminder that reframing creates space for deeper connecion. 💚💙

04/03/2026

💚💙 April is Autism Awareness Month! Remember that you are your child's safe place. When they feel overwhelmed, small shifts in the environment can make a big difference. Regulation isn’t taught in the calm moments alone, it’s built through support in the hard ones. We're here to support you, too!

03/26/2026

Dr. Bilal Ghandour, PhD, a valued clinical partner and long-standing collaborator with Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health, offers a powerful reflection on the pain of loss and how trauma can shape the grieving process.

Our work with Dr. Ghandour has always been deeply collaborative, and this piece reflects the kind of insight that grows from that shared commitment to care.

We hope it brings comfort and understanding.

A few months ago, my cat of almost 18 years died. After being told a few weeks prior he had advanced kidney disease, I knew he had very little time left. This was not my first loss as my experience with death is a long and painful one. From the loss of my mother at age nine to the death of Bijou, my...

03/16/2026

Women’s mental health can change during different stages of life, especially during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, fertility treatment, and perimenopause.

Many women experience anxiety, depression, sleep changes, or emotional stress during these transitions, but they often feel alone in those experiences.

Women’s health psychiatry focuses on supporting mental well-being through these important life stages. In our newest blog, our team at Pediatric & Family Behavioral Health shares how specialized psychiatric care can help women in Charlotte and across North Carolina navigate these challenges.

Learn more here.

Women’s health psychiatry in Charlotte, NC for fertility, pregnancy and postpartum, and perimenopause. Thoughtful outpatient psychiatric care and coordinated support at PFBH.

03/12/2026

In recognition of Women’s Mental Health Month, we’re excited to welcome our first guest writer to the Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health blog. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Jennette Gerst shares her insights on an often-overlooked experience for many women: the complex grief that can come with receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life. As more women in Charlotte and across North Carolina are seeking answers for lifelong challenges with attention, organization, and emotional regulation, this conversation is becoming increasingly important.

We have spent decades looking for ADHD in boys, while completely missing the quiet fire in girls. In childhood, boys tend to show signs of external hyperactivity, such as excessive physical activity, being disruptive in the classroom, an inability to stay seated, and frequent interruptions. Girls, h...

02/27/2026

At Pediatric & Family Behavioral Health, we understand that depression is more than a diagnosis , it’s something that affects every part of a person’s life, from relationships and work to overall well-being. For individuals who have tried multiple antidepressants without meaningful relief, the journey can feel especially discouraging. That’s why we are proud to offer SPRAVATO® in Charlotte, NC an innovative, FDA-approved treatment option for adults living with treatment-resistant depression. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive, evidence-based care, SPRAVATO® represents a new pathway toward hope, healing, and renewed quality of life. The only Spravato REMS center that offers after hour treatments several days a week and soon Saturday morning.
Check this entry from Dr. Javier Santos. Learn more here!

SPRAVATO® (esketamine) treatment in Charlotte, NC at PFBH. Learn who may qualify, what to expect, visit length, safety monitoring, and how to get started.

02/20/2026

As part of our ongoing trauma-focused series at Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health (PFBH), we continue exploring the long-term impact of trauma on children, adolescents, and adults across North Carolina. In this sixth blog entry — and our third post dedicated specifically to trauma — we turn our focus toward an equally powerful and hopeful concept: resiliency in the face of trauma.

Trauma can significantly affect emotional regulation, relationships, and overall mental health. However, with the right support, therapy, and evidence-based behavioral health services, individuals can develop the resilience needed to heal and move forward. At PFBH, our team of psychiatrists, therapists, and interventional mental health specialists work with children (age 4+), teens, adults, and families to build coping skills, strengthen protective factors, and support recovery through personalized trauma-informed care.

In Resiliency in the Face of Trauma, we explore how resilience develops, why it matters in trauma recovery, and how an holistic approach can help. Whether you are seeking trauma therapy in North Carolina for yourself or your child, understanding resilience is a powerful first step toward hope and growth.

Read it all in our blog!

Chronic distress caused by experiencing shocking or terrifying events can persist in a person's life long after the initial event is over. Otherwise known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, this phenomenon can facilitate potential impacts such as long-term chronic illness and impaired daily function...

02/11/2026

New blog entry:
A follow up on our first post about Trauma in children and teens.

Trauma doesn’t just leave a mark on a child’s behavior, it reshapes the very way they relate to the world around them. While individual therapy plays a critical role in helping young people process difficult experiences, healing is often most profound when the family is part of the journey. A family systems approach recognizes that children and teens are embedded in a network of relationships that influence their emotional safety, sense of trust, and day-to-day coping. By engaging caregivers as active partners in recovery, this approach strengthens support at home, enhances trust, and equips families with the tools they need to navigate the ripple effects of trauma together.
Help us share it!

There is a growing amount of evidence that demonstrates the positive outcome of caregiver involvement in the treatment of child trauma (Boyer, 2019; Landolt et al., 2017). The most essential protective factor in alleviating the impact of trauma is the presence of social support, typically found in a...

02/03/2026

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps people of all ages including children, teens, adults, and older adults, heal from trauma, anxiety, depression, and other distressing life experiences by guiding the brain to reprocess difficult memories more adaptively.

Unlike traditional talk therapy alone, EMDR uses structured phases and bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements, tapping, or sounds) to reduce the emotional intensity of upsetting memories and promote emotional regulation and resilience. As interest in trauma-informed mental health care grows across Charlotte, North Carolina and beyond, understanding what EMDR therapy is, how it works, and who can benefit can help you decide whether this powerful, research-supported approach may be a good fit for you or your loved ones. EMDR is provided by trained professionals at Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health (PFBH).
Find more in this fascinating entry written by our own Shravni Aterkar LCHMHC in our latest entry in our blog!

EMDR therapy helps the brain process distressing memories in a safe, structured way. Learn what “go with that” means, how EMDR works, and how it can support children, teens, adults, and seniors.

01/26/2026

01/12/2026

Childhood and adolescent trauma is far more common than many parents realize and without the right support, its effects can last a lifetime. In Charlotte, NC and surrounding communities, families are increasingly searching for answers about how trauma impacts children’s mental health, behavior, and emotional development. From bullying and family instability to sudden loss, accidents, or exposure to violence, traumatic experiences can shape how a child thinks, feels, and interacts with the world.

In this brief article from Allie Widener, we explore what trauma looks like in children and teens, how it affects brain development, emotional regulation, and long-term well-being, and why early intervention is critical. With the right trauma-informed care such as [Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)], [EMDR therapy], and specialized [child and adolescent therapy], children can learn to process difficult experiences in healthy ways and build resilience for the future.

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or educator, this guide will help you recognize when a child may be struggling and why seeking professional support early can prevent more serious mental health challenges later in life. At Pediatric and Family Behavioral Health, we specialize in evidence-based trauma treatment for children, teens, and families across the Charlotte area helping young people heal, grow, and thrive.

Trauma is defined as severe psychological distress experienced as a result of exposure to an event, or events, that threaten the safety of oneself or a loved one, or by witnessing this type of event happen to someone else (Am erican Psychiatric Association 2013). In America, two-thirds of children a...