Dr. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD
Phychiatrist | Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
10801 Hickory Ridge Rd Ste 215 Columbia MD, 21044About
Phyllis Heffner, MD, is board-certified in both general and child and adolescent psychiatry. She is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She is also an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and works with people who have symptoms of either mental health, physical health conditions, or a combination of both. She is one of very few physicians who practice functional and integrative psychiatry for people of all ages. Although she can and does prescribe medication, medication management is not the primary focus of her practice. The goal is to not just treat symptoms but find the underlying cause of the symptoms. Everything in the body affects the brain and the brain affects everything in the body.
Complete and proper diagnosis is the first step in achieving wellness; to accomplish this a very detailed history (which could include physical or neurological exam), as well as various forms of testing, are often needed. Treatments can include the use of advanced nutrient therapy, lifestyle and dietary modification, detoxification, the use of various medications or supplements, neurofeedback, frequency-specific microcurrent, photobiomodulation/cold laser, PEMF, hyperbaric oxygen, and other options. Dr. Heffner has a special interest in the biomedical treatment of autism, PANS/PANDAS, mold/CIRS, Lyme and co-infections, autoimmune diseases, thyroid and gastrointestinal dysfunction, which can often be related to the more common mental health conditions of depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.
Dr. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD's Videos
Education and Training
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center MD 1986
Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Psychiatry and Neurology)
Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner
Provider Details
Dr. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD's Expert Contributions
What is light therapy for depression?
It is the use of a light box that produces 10,000 LUX of natural light early in the morning for 30-60 minutes focused on your forehead. It has been shown to help both seasonal depression and general depression. Getting outside into sunlight is also very beneficial as an antidepressant. READ MORE
Can yoga help my son improve his concentration?
Yes, activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, QiGong, Meditation, and even general exercise can help with concentration, as can stress management. Getting good quality sleep and having a regular schedule as well as a nutritious healthy diet are also helpful. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD, FAPA, IFMCP Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner Holistic Child Psychiatry, LLC 10801 Hickory Ridge Rd, Suite 215 Columbia, MD 21044 (410) 260-0344 www.holisticchildpsychiatry.com READ MORE
Is my child having panic attacks?
It sounds like he is having separation anxiety and possibly other forms of anxiety. I strongly recommend that he be evaluated by a child psychiatrist (ideally one who looks for both psychiatric and medical causes for his anxiety) and have him start working with a therapist. I do not recommend that you try to handle this yourself. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD, FAPA, IFMCP READ MORE
Why is my child all of a sudden losing interest in his schoolwork?
There are many reasons a child can lose their interest or focus on school - undiagnosed learning or attentional issues, anxiety or depression, stress from family or peer relationships, poor match with the teacher, being bullied, a medical condition or pain, increasing interest in other activities or peers are just a few of the possibilities. First step is to talk with him as well as his teacher. If things don't become clear, he would benefit from being evaluated by a child psychiatrist or other child mental health professional. Phyllis J. Heffner, MD, FAPA, IFMCP READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Medical Director; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Child Psychiatry Day Hospital/Children's National Medical Center 15 - 23
Professional Memberships
- Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Institute of Functional Medicine
- International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society
- International Hyperbaric Medical Association
- ISEAI
- NAEM
- AARM
- MAPS
- Integrative Medicine for Mental Health
- Maryland Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Maryland Psychiatric Society
- Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs
Fellowships
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of Maryland
- Baltimore; Functional Medicine Training at the Institute for Functional Medicine
- University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Hospital Joint Training Program child and adolescent psychiatry
- Walsh Research Institute
- University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Hospital Joint Training Program Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 1991
Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church;
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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Phyllis J. Heffner, who serves patients in Columbia, Maryland.
Dr. Heffner is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in holistic and integrative strategies to treat both mental and physical health conditions. As such, she is trained and understands that mental health challenges are related to physical, psychological, and social factors.
As the owner of Holistic Child Psychiatry, LLC in Columbia, Maryland, Dr. Heffner’s goal is to help each patient improve their functioning in order to reach their highest potential so that they can thrive and be happy. “The integrative treatment plan is individualized based on this initial evaluation and can include nutritional and dietary modification, herbs and nutritional supplements, lifestyle changes, stress reduction/mind-body techniques, biofeedback, essential oils, biomedical treatment of physical health problems, psychiatric medication, detoxification treatments, and other integrative methods. I always strive to reduce, and possibly even be able to eventually discontinue, the use of prescription medication as health is restored.” as stated by the doctor.
Before embarking on her journey of professional fulfillment, Dr. Heffner earned her medical degree from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania in 1986. She then went on to complete her residency in general psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Hospital Joint Training Program. She is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner as of April of 2018 and uses Functional Medicine and Integrative Psychiatry principals to treat both physical and mental health conditions.
“I transitioned to integrative, functional medicine after developing a chronic autoimmune disease, and later Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome from mold exposure, that was not able to be adequately diagnosed or treated by conventional medicine. My goal is to pass on the knowledge I gained in helping to heal myself to my patients by applying integrative, holistic methods to physical and mental health conditions.” as stated by Dr. Heffner.
A Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the doctor is double board-certified in general psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting high-quality patient care for the public through the initial and continuing certification of psychiatrists and neurologists.
Additionally, she is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Institute for Functional Medicine, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, the International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness, the National Association for Environmental Medicine, the International Hyperbaric Medical Association, the American Academy for Restorative Medicine, Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, the Maryland Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Maryland Psychiatric Society, and the Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs.
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results. The addition of her Functional Medicine training enables Dr. Heffner to look for the underlying causes of many physical and mental health conditions deeply, using both standard and specialized testing. Examples of some of the deeper causes include Digestive Disorders, Endocrine Disorders, Chronic Infections such as Lyme Disease, Mold/Mycotoxin Illness, PANS/PANDAS. She uses both conventional and integrative therapies such as LORETA Neurofeedback, Frequency Specific Microcurrent, Hyperbaric Oxygen, Detoxification, and Advanced Nutrient Therapy to help the whole person heal. Her practice is Beyond Conventional Psychiatry.
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