Dr. Lea Lis is the Shameless Psychiatrist.
Dr. Lis is a medical doctor who is a double board-certified Adult and Child Psychiatrist. She has been working with families since the beginning of her psychiatric career.
She is uniquely positioned to help parents and children face many mental health challenges and live healthy lives. During her training and residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York and New York University, and her private psychiatric practice (Mindful Kid), she has developed expertise in working with modern families of all types.
Psychiatry and medicine is Dr. Lis’ calling since age 15 when she started working at Hillside Psychiatric Hospital. She has a thriving clinical practice where she sees adults and children with all types of mental health issues in Southampton, New York. She has a well-received column on Psychology Today and Thrive Global, and has appeared as an expert on parenting in programming by ABC, CBS and NBC. She has been featured in numerous media outlets such as The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and in niche publications like Good Housekeeping, Modern Beach Luxury and Psychiatric News. She has been interviewed as an expert on multiple podcasts.
Dr. Lea is Assistant Clinical Professor at New York Medical College. She is active in the American Psychiatric Association, having served as a member of their National Ethics Committee and on the Board of Trustees. She has presented numerous symposia and workshops at the annual APA meetings and at the meetings of the Institute of Psychiatric Services. Her Academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice and the Journal of Academic Psychiatry.
Mission & Background
After spending more than a decade as a psychiatrist working with parents and children in almost every imaginable type of family, I believe that children thrive in loving and respectful environments. It’s that simple—and that complicated. My goal is to help all parents raise strong, secure, and resilient children who become strong, secure, and resilient adults—an aspiration that resonates across the lines of identity and sexuality.
I am committed to positive parenting strategies that focus on reinforcement for good behavior (rather than verbal or physical punishment for bad behavior), clear and consistent communication, and healthy emotional relationships between parents and children.
I have also always had a passion for working with the children and teenagers in my practice, especially when it comes to sex education. Young children who are not properly educated about sex and their bodies are at risk for victimization.
Later, adolescents who are not supported in developing healthy beliefs and practices around sexuality and relationships can develop a host of self-esteem issues and depression. Over the years, I have helped countless families deal with difficult practical and psychological issues—pregnancy, addiction, depression, promiscuity, etc.—that could have been avoided with education, communication, and an understanding of personal boundaries.
To me, “sex positive” parenting is an extension of positive parenting overall—the creation of a supportive and protective environment within which to nurture a child’s sexual development through adolescence into adulthood, educating the child appropriately and helping them understand both the pleasures and dangers of sexual activity. Sex is not something that should only be talked about once, or in times of crisis. Communication between parents and children at each stage of development builds better relationships and has protective benefits.
Dr. Lea Lis
Presenting to parents in New York City
February 2020