Sara Polley, MD

Dr. Sara Polley is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry, and addiction medicine. She specializes in diagnostic assessment, medication management, and family support for children, adolescents, and young adults. She is passionate about normalizing the experiences of her patients and families. She has been described as a fierce advocate and works to ensure her patients receive research-supported, integrated, and compassionate care.

In addition to her work as a general psychiatrist, Dr. Polley is national leader in the field of pediatric addiction psychiatry. She believes in the importance of co-located treatment for those struggling with both conditions and also offers medications for substance use disorders including buprenorphine. Dr. Polley is trained in psychotherapy and uses an eclectic approach integrating her training in psychodynamic principles, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Dr. Polley completed her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School. She did additional training with Harvard’s pediatric addiction team, a world leader in the field. Dr. Polley completed her adult psychiatry training in a joint program between Sheppard Pratt Hospital and the University of Maryland. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School and earned her bachelors of science degree in child psychology from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development.

Dr. Polley is thrilled to join the team at Vantage Mental Health on June 16th and warmly welcomes patients and families she has worked with in previous settings. She values the relationships built through shared experiences in care and looks forward to continuing those partnerships in this next chapter.