Episode 63 | What Doctors Miss About Children's Mental Health

In this episode, Janets speaks with Dr. Robert C. Smith, professor emeritus at Michigan State University and author of Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?.

Drawing on decades of clinical practice, research, and teaching, Dr. Smith explains how modern medicine came to separate mental and physical health, and why that split still shapes how doctors are trained today.

The conversation explores how this gap in training affects modern medicine, from rushed appointments and quick prescriptions to missed opportunities for early support and prevention. Dr. Smith also discusses why lifestyle, stress, relationships, and emotional development are often overlooked, despite their central role in both physical and mental wellbeing.

This episode offers parents and educators a broader lens for understanding the healthcare system many children move through. Rather than placing blame on individual doctors or families, it invites reflection on how care might look different if emotional and physical health were treated as deeply connected from the very beginning.

To learn more about Dr. Smith and his work please visit his ⁠website.