Meet Caroline Kabel-Kotler | Board Certified Child and Adolescent Pediatrician, Behavioral Specialist, and Educational Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caroline Kabel-Kotler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caroline, do you have a budget? How do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
I’ve been a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Pediatrician, always with a focus in behavioral medicine, for 25 yrs. An early goal of mine, before having graduated from medical school, was to own my own medical practice. I achieved that goal with my doctor partner when we became co-owners of a busy, suburban pediatric practice in southern New Jersey. My family and I moved to Colorado four years ago for a life style change. I again quickly settled into the role of Behavioral Specialist in a rather large, pediatric practice in Castle Rock, Colorado .After several years working in this position I began to envision opening up my own, private pediatric and adolescent behavioral practice. I’ve always known that this area of medicine is not only so poorly underserved, but also that this population’s needs surpass the level of care that can be offered within the confines of the typical pediatric practice. For these reasons, In March, 2020, I opened Links Pediatric Adolescent and behavioral Health, a concierge, boutique style practice, to fill this void.

Practicing pediatric and adolescent behavioral medicine, with a strong back round in the clinical aspect of medicine in this population, allows me to offer my patients a more comprehensive approach to their care. My mission is to help my patients thrive in all areas of functioning (socially, emotionally, and academically) in all environments, while at the same time optimizing time and resources. I deliver evidenced-based mental and behavioral health care with a passion and purpose.

Relationships are the cornerstone of change. Developing a good rapport and forming trusting relationships with my patients and their families is vital to identifying and addressing every aspect of a child’s needs. My office is always a safe place where my patients can feel validated and understood – where they are seen and heard. Every child is significant and they all know how much they matter to me.

Choosing a physician to to care for your child’s mental and behavioral health is an important decision. Finding the right fit can be the difference between a timely recovery and prolonged symptoms. I’ve developed a unique skillset and approach that allows me to bridge the gap between my patients’ behavioral, physical, developmental, and educational needs.

What should our readers know about your business?
My practice is truly like no other. I’m somewhat of a unicorn in my specialty of practice. Combining the clinical and behavioral aspects medicine in my practice my patients are offered a much more comprehensive approach. My new patient consults are typically three hours. This allows me to form trusting relationships with my patients and their families which in turn enables me to better understand the scope and intensity of their diagnosis. I’m known for establishing close relationships with my patients and they leave feeling that they’ve been evaluated and feel understood on a level they’ve never experienced before. I take the time my patients need when they need it. They know they can reach out to me whenever they may need me and I’ll answer. I know them and know exactly what they’re going through. I know what medications they’re taking, what recent changes we may have made together, etc. They don’t have to wait for someone to get back to them and they don’t have to speak with someone unfamiliar with their situation. I make changes in real time, between appointments, so my patients don’t have to suffer, for example, unwanted side effects on a particular medicine for one day longer than they need to because we can touch base and make a change right at that moment. My patients and their families know they aren’t alone, they have a true partner in their child’s care. This level of care and availability are so necessary because it’s never easy and always scary initiating medication in a child.

With my respect to my story, I think the people fueled by their own personal journeys, those who’ve experienced what their patients are experiencing makes all the difference in the world, I can empathize with my patients in a way that other who haven’t been through a similar experience can’t. I often share my own journey and story with my patients and their families because I’ve found it to be so impactful, helpful, and inspiring to them. I’m in the trench with them so to speak. It’s a little less lonely with me on their team.

Was it easy? The short answer is that there are no short cuts. The short cut is the long cut every time! It’s taken decades for me to arrive in the place I’ve known I’ve needed to be. The many years spent in practice perfecting my skillset are why I’m here today. It’s why I can offer the comprehensive approach I do because I’m so experienced and have accrued many miles under my tires. Through it all I’ve learned to believe in myself more and more because i know the difference I’ve made in patient’s lives and I know this has only been possible because of the unique paradigm I bring to this area of medicine.

My story is one of passion. A passion driven by a purpose to do better by my patient population and to see them thrive in every way possible. Listen, there are good doctors and amazing doctors and the difference I’ve found between the two is the passion a doctor brings to his/her field. My passion for what I do is evident from the moment my patients meet me, I fight and advocate for my patients as if they’re my own and they all know that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Colorado os an amazing place to live. Anyone taking a trip needs to come to Colorado. As if the three hundred days of sunshine weren’t enough to entice you to come then the mountains calling should be. Colorado is a playground 365 days a year. There’s hiking and camping, biking, fishing, and my personal favorite, skiing. My family lis active and loves to ski. We look forward to it every year and take advantage of all the resorts we live so close to. You can find us on the slopes on any given weekend.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be the physician I am today without the unwavering love and support of my parents. It’s only because they believed so strongly in me that I was able to believe in myself. My parents (father was a family practice doctor and mother was a high school English teacher) valued education. They always saw the potential in me and understood how to support me academically. I was truly blessed to have been raised by two parents who not loved and respected eachother, but also loved and respected me. I recognize and appreciate how vital their stability, love, and support was to achieving my goals. Sadly, not every child is as lucky as I was to have hit the ‘parent jackpot’ and it’s so critical for a child’s success in all areas of life.

Further fueling my career and passion towards Behavioral medicine has been my journey with my oldest son, His mental health struggles, having begun at an early age, are the reasons why I’m a more compassionate mother, physician, and person overall. I constantly learn from him and he continues to teach me so much. I’m truly blessed he’s my child.

With respect to mentorship, Dr. Elizabeth Weller – Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, has also been a guiding force in my life. Sadly, she passed away in 2011. Prior to her passing she was my son’s psychiatrist and psychotherapist. She was the ‘mood disorder specialist’ in the country and the top in the field. We developed a professional and personal relationship over the years as she worked with my son. She was a mentor in every sense of the word, and over the years she taught me so much. I am still guided by her spirit and can hear her voice in my head almost daily. I know I’m making her proud with the level of care and treatment I provide to my patients.

Website: ckotler@linkspabh.com

Linkedin: Links Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Twitter: Links Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Facebook: Links Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Image Credits
Sara Finny