The Parent Doctor
About Dr. Marissa
A calm, clear guide for the years before adolescence.
I'm Dr. Marissa Caudill, and I help parents make sense of what they're seeing in their child without jumping too quickly to blame, fear, or labels.
My approach brings together psychiatry, neuroscience, spirituality, child development, and family systems thinking. But just as important, it honors the emotional reality of parenting, how hard it can be when something feels off and you are trying your best to help, but it's not getting better.
The Approach
When a child is anxious, more withdrawn, more reactive, or struggling socially, parents are often caught between two fears: overreacting and waiting too long. My work gives you a clearer framework for understanding what you're actually seeing, so you can respond with more skill and less guesswork.
I don't rush toward labels. I look at the whole picture: your child's brain and developmental stage, the dynamics of your family system, and the inner experience you're carrying as a parent.
Why This Work Matters Before Adolescence
The years before adolescence are a window. Patterns that form here in how a child manages anxiety, builds friendships, and stays connected to the family, shape what adolescence looks like. Early support doesn't mean panic. It means paying attention while there is still room to shift things.
I believe parental self-awareness is one of the most powerful mental health interventions available before adolescence begins. When you understand more clearly what is happening in your child, in yourself, and in the family system, you can lead with more steadiness and create change that lasts.
Your Support Pathway
Support for parents who want to help early, not just react later.
Whether you want a simple place to start, a supportive community, or personalized guidance, there is a next step here for you.
The Parent Archive
Thoughtful parenting guidance you can return to anytime
Get FREE access to a growing collection of parenting book summaries, video insights, practical PDFs, and occasional expert conversations designed to help you parent with more calm, clarity, and confidence.
This is a strong place to start if you want thoughtful, expert-guided support at your own pace. Instead of sorting through endless parenting advice on your own, you'll have a curated resource you can come back to whenever you need perspective, reassurance, or a next step.
Parenting book summaries curated by Dr. Marissa Caudill
Video insights that make big ideas easier to apply
Actionable PDFs for real-life parenting moments
A growing collection of trusted resources
Occasional guest experts and added content over time
The Tween Scene
Think of this as "Driver's Ed" for raising a teenager
Wishing you had an option for live support to navigate your child's adolescence? Join this group coaching program for parents who want to build connection and emotional stability with their kids, before adolescence adds more complexity.
If your child is already showing anxiety, social strain, or signs of pulling away, this is a place to understand what is happening and learn how to respond with more steadiness and skill.
Understand the tween-to-teen transition
Stay connected as your child becomes more independent
Respond with more calm and less reactivity
Make sense of behavior through development and neuroscience
Prepare for adolescence with more confidence and less guesswork
1:1 Coaching
Personalized support when the situation feels more specific or more urgent
Private coaching for parents who want a deeper look at their child's patterns, their family dynamic, and the most helpful next steps.
This is for families who do not want to keep guessing. If your child is struggling and you want individualized guidance shaped around your specific concerns, this offers a more tailored and high-touch path forward.
Personalized support for your specific family
A clearer understanding of patterns in your home
Direct guidance you can apply in real time
A more customized, high-support experience
Training & Background
Dr. Marissa Caudill is a double board certified adult and child psychiatrist. Her clinical and research training informs an integrative framework that draws on:
Psychiatry
understanding the clinical dimensions of anxiety, mood, and behavior
Neuroscience
how the developing brain shapes what parents observe
Child Development
knowing what is a phase and what deserves earlier attention
Family Systems Thinking
seeing the child within the context of the whole family
Spirituality
honoring meaning, values, and the inner life of both parent and child
Calm, clear guidance for parents who want to stay connected before the harder years begin.
Mon-Fri 9 am -5 pm PST
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