Dr. Warnes is the founder of Sunflower Pediatric Behavioral Health. She is a licensed psychologist specializing in children and adolescents. She is Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and is a member of the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Dr. Warnes completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas, majoring in psychology. She received her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. An emphasis of her doctoral training and research involved establishing strong, healthy connections between family, school, and medical systems for children and adolescents. Dr. Warnes completed her clinical externship and doctoral internship in pediatric psychology at the Munroe Meyer Institute (University of Nebraska Medical Center). She completed an additional post-doctoral fellowship in clinical pediatric psychology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, whereby she helped establish outpatient behavioral health clinics in the context of primary care medical practices (both family practice and pediatric) in Nebraska.

Prior to moving back to her home state of Kansas in 2011, Dr. Warnes worked with a large pediatric practice located in Iowa City, IA for several years.

Dr. Warnes has extensive experience consulting with school and medical systems, and has provided numerous workshops to parent, school, and physician groups. She has authored and co-authored numerous articles and book chapters. She is a member of several professional organizations including: American Psychological Association, APA Division of Clinical and Adolescent Child Psychology, APA Division of School Psychology, American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and National Register of Health Service Providers.

Dr. Warnes has expertise in providing evidence-based psychological assessment and therapy services to children and adolescents. Her primary approach to treatment is Cognitive-Behavioral, which emphasizes the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behavior. She employs mindfulness and interpersonal therapy techniques as well.

Dr. Warnes enjoys helping youth and families develop strategies for managing the challenges of life. She enjoys a close and supportive connection with her patients and their families.

Dr. Warnes was born and raised in Kansas. She is married and has four children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, listening to music, and cheering for KU basketball or the Kansas City Chiefs.

Dr. Lindsey Colburn-Malousek is a licensed psychologist specializing in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in psychology. She also completed a master’s degree in counseling at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. Dr. Colburn-Malousek received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri. Her doctoral training focused on child and adolescent treatment, as well as strengthening family systems. Her internship and post-doctoral experience provided a generalist training with a specialty in family care. Dr. Colburn-Malousek is also licensed as an addiction counselor and has specific experience treating adolescent substance use. In addition to her work at Sunflower Pediatric Behavioral Health, Dr. Colburn-Malousek serves as the Training Director for an APA-accredited doctoral internship program at The Guidance Center in Leavenworth, Kansas. In this role she provides training and supervision to pre-doctoral interns and post-doctoral fellows who are on the path to becoming licensed psychologists. 

Dr. Colburn-Malousek has experience in providing evidence-based psychological assessment and therapy services to children, adolescents, and young adults. She utilizes a cognitive behavioral approach integrated with a system’s viewpoint. She believes it is important to understand the entire ecological system of a patient and their family in order to provide effective treatment.  Dr. Colburn-Malousek therefore often utilizes individual and family sessions to assist patients in the development of skills to effectively manage symptoms, while also helping families develop and hone parent-management strategies to support their child’s overall health and functioning. She has experience working with an array of populations including LGBTQ youth. 

On a personal note, Dr. Colburn-Malousek was born and raised in Nebraska. She is married and raising two children and two dogs. She enjoys reading, traveling, good food, and cheering for the Huskers. 

Dr. Hannah West is a licensed child and adolescent psychologist and board certified behavior analyst (BCBA). She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She completed a masters degree in clinical psychology at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. Dr. West completed an additional masters degree in psychometrics en route to obtaining her doctorate in school psychology from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Her doctoral training and research focused on child and adolescent assessment and treatment, as well as taking a systems-level approach to help create supportive environments for children to thrive. Dr. West completed her predoctoral internship in behavioral pediatric and integrated care at the Munroe Meyer Institute (University of Nebraska Medical Center) in Omaha, Nebraska. In addition to her work at Sunflower Pediatric Behavioral Health, Dr. West serves as a Regional Trainer for the Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) providing training, workshops, and consultation in implementing comprehensive school based mental health programming, multitiered systems of support in schools, and integrated primary care. She is a member of several professional organizations and speaks regularly at state-, regional-, and national-level conferences.

Dr. West has experience in providing evidence-based psychological assessment and therapy services to children and adolescents utilizing primarily cognitive behavioral and behavioral approaches. She also provides parent behavior management training to help parents and caregivers learn how to build connection with their child, improve family relationships, and respond to their child in ways that promote more positive behaviors and less negative behaviors. Dr. West believes each child and adolescent has the right to be happy and seen for the good person they are, and treatments should be adapted to meet individual needs. Through individual therapy, along with consultation with families, schools, and any other invested team members, a successful intervention plan can be developed and implemented that focuses on the highlighting and using a child’s individual strengths and building up areas of difficulty. Dr. West also utilizes techniques from acceptance and commitment therapy, positive psychology, and interpersonal therapy.

On a more personal note, Dr. West was raised in rural Arkansas. She enjoys spending her time exploring the Kansas City metro with her husband and daughters, taking her two dogs on walks, reading, and writing.

Dr. Batley, nurse practitioner, is a board certified Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults. She has experience managing care for individuals from diverse backgrounds as well as for individuals with complex trauma and/or intellectual and developmental differences.

Dr. Batley completed her undergraduate education at MidAmerica University, earning bachelor's degrees in nursing and receiving the honorable Nursing Excellence Award. She received her Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Missouri for Family Practice Nursing (2014) and her Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing certificate (2021) and Doctorate in Nursing (2022) from the University of Kansas. Her doctoral project focused on bridging treatment gaps for youth with severe persistent mental illness providing acute care services for youth in residential psychiatric treatment.

Dr. Batley also serves as a clinical assistant professor for the University of Kansas Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. She is a proud member of the American Nurses Association and serves as a committee member for the Kansas Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Health Equity and Outcomes Coalition.

Dr. Batley performs psychiatric evaluations, prescribes medications, and performs brief therapy as indicated based on current best practice standards and clinical expertise. She focuses on the whole person and setting shared treatment goals unique to the individual and where they are in their mental wellness journey.

On a personal note, Ashley is married and has two sons. She is native to the Kansas City area. She loves spending time with family and being outside-gardening, hiking, and being at the lake- especially with her family.

Dr. Jason Malousek is a licensed psychologist with a passion for helping families, individuals, and couples navigate life's challenges and build stronger, more fulfilling relationships. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in psychology. He also completed his master’s degree in counseling at Doane College in Crete, NE. Dr. Malousek received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a post-degree certificate in marriage and family therapy from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, MO.

Dr. Malousek was the Clinical and Training Director at The Guidance Center in Leavenworth, KS but now teaches full-time and is the Assistant Director of Clinical Training at Kansas City University in their PsyD program. He continues to have professional interests in clinical supervision and consultation.

Dr. Malousek has experience in providing evidence-based therapy across the lifespan and has a specialty in marriage and family therapy. He utilizes an integrated approach which incorporates cognitive behavioral treatment with a system’s perspective. Additionally, Dr. Malousek has experience in providing psychological assessments that can answer a variety of diagnostic questions.

On a personal note, Dr. Malousek resides in Overland Park, KS and enjoys spending time with his wife and their two children and following the Royals and Chiefs!

Samantha Russell Bereit is a board-certified Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She boasts a decade of psychiatry experience focused primarily on the care of children and adolescents. Her unwavering dedication as a health provider has be evident in service across various healthcare settings, prioritizing the mental health care of children and families across all stages of healing.

Samantha completed her undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude at Creighton University (while earning All-American honors as a soccer player). She continued her education, receiving her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Kansas as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Her comprehensive professional journey has fostered a strong background in clinical and academic settings.

In her mission to nurture the potential in every child and family, she is devoted to integrating holistic, individualized treatment plans that cater to the distinct needs of those she cares for. She performs psychiatric evaluations, prescribes medication, and develops treatment plans with an evidence-based and therapeutic approach.

Away from her professional duties, Samantha cherishes time with her family, appreciating the solace found in nature, embarking on travel adventures, or immersing herself in a book. She was born and raised in the Kansas City area. She is married and has one daughter.

Dr. Tyler Staples is a psychologist specializing in clinical child psychology. He received his undergraduate education in psychology at the University of Kansas in 2009 and his master’s degree in counseling psychology at Avila University in 2012. After teaching and practicing as a Licensed Masters Level Psychologist in Kansas for seven years, he returned to the classroom and earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Kansas City University in 2023. Throughout his doctoral training, Dr. Staples gained specialized experience in the areas of psychological assessment and developmental clinical psychology. He completed his doctoral internship at The Guidance Center, a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Leavenworth, Kansas. Following graduation, Dr. Staples completed a fellowship in child clinical psychology at KU Medical Center in 2024, which included inpatient and outpatient psychological assessment and outpatient psychotherapy to children and teens.

Dr. Staples currently specializes in psychological assessment for neurodevelopmental disorders in children, teens, and young adults, including Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) in reading, writing, and arithmetic, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He further specializes in working with teens and young adults experiencing depression and anxiety disorders. Though generally eclectic and individualized in his approach to therapy, Dr. Staples was formally trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with further training in other evidence-based therapies.

Personally, Dr. Staples is married and has a dog. He is an avid runner and triathlete, competing in both local, regional, and national events. He also bakes and has a large family with which he is very close.

Megan is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with a passion for mental health. After years as a stay- at-home mother, she returned to school and graduated from a Practical Nursing program in 2015 where she was honored with the Florence Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence recognizing her exceptional dedication and commitment to patient care. She has over a decade of experience in healthcare, including nine years specializing in mental health.

Beginning her career in pediatric primary care, Megan discovered her passion for mental health early on and transitioned to a community mental health center, where she honed her skills in providing comprehensive care to individuals and families in need. In 2022, Megan embarked on anew professional journey, transitioning to private practice to pursue new challenges and opportunities for growth. With a unique skill set that encompasses both nursing and administrative roles, including experience as a medical assistant with front office proficiency, Megan offers a well- rounded approach to patient care.

Megan firmly believes in advocating for mental health awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness, viewing mental health as equally important as physical well-being. Outside of her professional endeavors, she is a wife and mother of three. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, whether it’s in the mountains or at home with her dogs and chickens.

Lauren is a graduate student completing a dual degree master’s program at Emporia State University. She is studying art therapy and clinical counseling with an emphasis on mental health counseling. She is excited about learning how to support her community through the integration of art therapy and evidence-based therapeutic practices. She is a member of the American Art Therapy Association and the Student Art Therapy Organization at Emporia State. Lauren is excited to begin her internship delivering art therapy to fellow mental health professionals. She hopes to practice art therapy with children and adolescents after graduation.

On a personal note, Lauren enjoys painting, embroidering, gardening, antique shopping, and spending time with her two cats. She is thrilled to be a part of the SPBH family.