# About Dr. Joy

- Link: https://orchid.life/about-dr-joy/
- Published: 2026-09-08T12:15:01+00:00
- Author: thepdadoc

Pediatrician · PDAer · Parent of PDA children

# Clinical expertise. Lived experience. A different way of seeing the whole child.

I’m Dr. Joy, a board-certified pediatrician with a focus on developmental and behavioral
pediatrics and integrative care. Through The PDA Doc, I help families and professionals
understand PDA through both a clinical and lived-experience lens.

I created The PDA Doc because families deserve guidance that is practical, compassionate,
and low-shame. That guidance should respect your child’s nervous system and autonomy.
It should also recognize how much parents and caregivers are carrying.

My work is shaped by medicine and by years of caring for neurodivergent children
and families. It’s also shaped by my own life as a PDAer and parent of PDA children.
I don’t believe understanding a child begins with fixing them. It begins with getting
curious about what their nervous system is communicating.

Whether PDA is new to you or you’ve been living with it for years, daily life can
feel safer, more connected, and more workable.

![Dr. Joy Board-Certified Pediatrician for PDA](https://orchid.life/wp-content/uploads/
2026/06/Headshot-1.png "Dr. Joy Board-Certified Pediatrician for PDA")

## Follow along on Instagram

Everyday PDA insights, encouragement, and a look at real family life from Dr. Joy.

 [ A good provider fit starts with a family feeling l   ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfPs36nE_95/)

 [ Supports we can do during PDA appointments. I of   ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfNVumVDHp9/)

 [ Know before you go: previewing the clinic for PDA   ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfKfJB9isYU/)

 [ Trust comes first: Connection before credentials.   ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfH4Wz1D2TA/)

 [ Some mornings it’s the hat. Some mornings it’s the   ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfFJ1hAjDU7/)

 [ Can Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD   ](https://www.instagram.com/p/DfCzuOTFOdg/)

 [Follow @the.pda.doc](https://www.instagram.com/the.pda.doc/)

## Start where you are

Explore resources for your family, learn more about PDA, or get in touch about education,
speaking, or collaboration. For individualized medical care for children and teens
under 18, please visit Orchid Pediatrics in the [US](https://orchidpediatrics.com)
or [Canada](https://orchidpediatrics.ca).

 [Explore PDA for Parents](https://orchid.life/pda-for-parents/)

 [Get in touch](https://orchid.life/contact/)