Meet Dr. Ramsey
Dr. Michael Ramsey, DO, MS, FAPA, DFAACAP is a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with more than two decades of experience working with children, teens, and young adults across some of the most complex settings in the field. As part of the Centered Mind Counseling Services (CMCS) team, Dr. Ramsey provides comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management for ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, trauma-related disorders, and more — through secure telehealth for families across Washington State. His practice is grounded in the belief that a child’s mental health cannot be understood apart from the family, school, and world around them. Not sure if he is the right fit? Schedule a free 10-minute consultation and find out.
How I Got Here
As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, I did not come to this work by accident. I came to it because I kept watching children and families arrive in crisis — in emergency mental health settings, in community clinics, in places where the need was enormous and the resources were thin — and I could see that what they needed most was not just a prescription. They needed someone who would slow down, look at the whole picture, and stay.
That is the practice I have spent more than twenty years building.
My training is rooted in osteopathic medicine, which shaped how I think about the mind, body, and spirit as a connected system — not separate problems to be addressed one at a time. I have worked across emergency mental health, community mental health, and correctional settings. Each of those environments taught me something different about resilience, about what children and families carry, and about how much is possible when care is truly coordinated.
What drew me specifically to child and adolescent psychiatry is the same thing that keeps me here: this is a stage of life where the right support at the right moment can genuinely change the direction of a person’s story. I take that seriously every single day.
How I Help — Child and Adolescent Psychiatry with Dr. Michael Ramsey
Every child, teen, or young adult who comes to see me arrives with their own story. Their own family. Their own school, their own pressures, their own history. My job is to understand that story — not just the symptoms on the surface, but the layers underneath.
A diagnosis is a starting point, not a destination.
When I work with a child or family, I am looking at everything: what is happening at home, what is happening at school, what coping skills are already there and what is missing, where trauma may be shaping the picture. Treatment might include medication. It might not. More often than not, the most lasting progress comes from combining psychiatric support with therapy and close family collaboration — which is why working within the CMCS team matters so much to me. Your child does not have to navigate a handoff between providers who have never spoken to each other. We talk. We coordinate. That is how it should work.
I also believe deeply that every child and family deserves to feel safe in the room. That includes LGBTQ+ youth and families, children with developmental differences, and any family that has felt dismissed or unheard in a clinical setting before. You will not have to fight to be taken seriously here.
Specializing in ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma & LGBTQ+ Mental Health
Dr. Ramsey provides psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and ongoing support for children, adolescents, and young adults across a wide range of mental health concerns, including:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and developmental concerns
- Anxiety Disorders — including Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, and Panic Disorder
- Major Depressive Disorder and mood disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Acute Stress Disorder
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- First Episode Psychosis
- Mild Neurocognitive Disorder
- LGBTQ+ Affirming Psychiatric Care
- Adjustment Disorders
Ages & Populations Served
- Children (ages 6 to 12)
- Adolescents (ages 13 to 17)
- Young adults (ages 18 to 24)
- Children and teens with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities
- LGBTQ+ youth and allied communities
- English and French-speaking clients
Approach & Treatment Philosophy
- Mind-Body-Spirit integration rooted in osteopathic principles
- Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations that consider the whole child — not just the presenting concern
- Medication management when appropriate, always in context of the broader treatment picture
- Close collaboration with therapists, families, schools, and pediatricians
- Trauma-informed and strength-based care
- LGBTQ+ affirming practice
The Benefit of Having a Full Team Behind You
One of the things that makes working with Dr. Ramsey at Centered Mind Counseling Services different is that integrated care is already here when you need it. Whether your child starts with psychiatric support alone, therapy alone, or both at once — if needs change or a new layer of support becomes important, that option is already in place. Dr. Ramsey works directly alongside our therapists and counselors, so providers are communicating with one another. You do not have to coordinate it yourself or repeat your child’s story from scratch every time.
For children and teens especially, that kind of coordinated care makes a real difference. A therapist who knows what the psychiatrist is seeing. A psychiatrist who knows what is happening in sessions. A family that does not fall through the gaps between providers. Learn more about our counseling services or meet the full CMCS team Dr. Ramsey works alongside.
Credentials
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
Western University of Health Sciences, 1998Master of Science (M.S.)
Western University of Health Sciences, 1996Board Certified — Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyBoard Certified — General Psychiatry
American Board of Psychiatry and NeurologyFellow, American Psychiatric Association (FAPA)
Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DFAACAP)
Center of Excellence in Autism — Washington State
The FAPA designation recognizes sustained contributions to the field of psychiatry. The DFAACAP is the highest honor conferred by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, awarded to fellows who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the specialty. The Center of Excellence in Autism designation from Washington State recognizes specialized expertise in the evaluation and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
On a Personal Note
I have been in the Seattle area since 2011, and Washington still surprises me. I love getting outside and exploring what this state offers — there is always somewhere new to find. Music has been part of my life for a long time; I perform with local ensembles and in theater, which keeps me connected to something that has nothing to do with a diagnosis code. Alaska pulls at me too — I volunteer for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which is as far from a clinic setting as you can get and exactly as grounding as it sounds. At home I work on restoration projects, stay curious about the neighborhood, read science fiction, and spend time with animals. I am a Star Trek enthusiast, which I mention because the families I work with almost always have a strong opinion about it.
Dr. Michael Ramsey brings more than two decades of experience as a Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Psychiatrist — across emergency, community, and private practice settings — to every family he works with at Centered Mind Counseling Services (CMCS). His practice is built on the belief that understanding a child means understanding everything around them, and that the right support at the right time can genuinely change what comes next.
Consultation Support for Physicians and Psychiatrists
In addition to his direct work with children and families, Dr. Ramsey provides consultation services for psychiatrists, pediatricians, and other medical providers across Washington State. As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with deep experience in complex and diagnostically challenging cases, he works in a second-opinion model — conducting thorough psychiatric assessments and delivering comprehensive clinical feedback and treatment recommendations directly to the referring provider.
His depth of experience with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), developmental disorders, and diagnostically complex presentations makes him a trusted resource for cases where clarity is hard to find. If you are a provider navigating a case that needs another set of eyes, reach out to us to learn more.
Telehealth Psychiatry for Children and Families Across Washington State
Dr. Ramsey provides telehealth psychiatry as a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for children, adolescents, and young adults throughout Washington State — including the Eastside communities of Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Redmond, and Seattle. Secure video sessions make care accessible without the added pressure of travel, waiting rooms, or rearranging a school-day schedule. The quality of care is the same either way — and for many families, telehealth makes it possible to show up consistently in a way that in-person visits simply do not.
If you are not sure whether Dr. Ramsey is the right fit for your child, reach out to us. A free 10-minute consultation is the easiest place to start.