Meet a Mom: Dr. Amber May, Founder of Northshore Wellness Center

Introducing to the Chicago North Shore Moms community doting mom of two, double board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, and founder of Northshore Wellness Center (NSWC) in Highland Park, Amber May!

After years of rigorous medical training, Amber and her husband merged their expertise to create a truly integrative clinic offering precision, evidence-based care for both mind and body. A North Shore native who returned home to raise her family and serve her community, Amber blends professional excellence with personal passion, helping families thrive through proactive, whole-person wellness. Read below to see exactly how that works.

Amber does a great job of practicing what she preaches. When Amber is not in the clinic, you’ll find her and her family embracing adventure, from skiing and jet-skiing to flying trapeze classes, whole-body and mind experiences mixed in with a healthy dose of family fun! Her story is one of heart, intellect, and an unwavering commitment to elevating community health and we are so fortunate to have her in our community. Welcome, Amber!

Dr. Amber May and Dr. Jehu Strange, co-owners of Northshore Wellness Center.
Photo credit: Sheridan Road Magazine

Hi Amber. Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What brought you here? Where do you live and work now?

Hi, I’m Amber May. I’m a dedicated, full-time professional mom, a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, and founder of Northshore Wellness Center (NSWC). My husband and I merged our complementary expertise to offer personalized, precision mental and physical healthcare. We are committed to providing our community with the most current, evidence-based, and cutting-edge medicine.

My formative school years were spent just a few blocks away from our clinic. We moved back to the North Shore after completing my Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) fellowship to live close to family and educate our children at the very best schools.

Tell us about your family.

My husband and I met in medical school almost two decades ago, and our union ignited the shared vision of establishing our medical-psychiatry practice. We recognize the inextricable connection between physical and mental well-being and bring a whole health approach to our families.

Together raising our two children, we have developed firsthand, experiential insight into the intricate world of children’s behaviors and the complex dynamics that shape family life. We are grateful to navigate the daily joys and challenges of coparenting and co-owning a clinic as a team.

Conference meeting with Dr. May and Dr. Strange at Northshore Wellness Center in Highland Park.

You both have a mentally taxing profession, albeit one that you love. What do you and your family do to blow off steam?

We love outdoor, adrenaline-boosting activities as a family: hiking, biking, horseback riding, jet-skiing, boating, tubing, rollerblading, ice-skating, and skiing. Parasailing and waterskiing on Lake Geneva were highlights of my adolescence, and we hope to take our kids next summer. Our most daring activities include I-FLY indoor skydiving and a flying trapeze class with our whole family. My daughter’s background in gymnastics and my son’s ninja warrior training led to adeptness at flying through the air vertically and horizontally. Overcoming acrophobia and “letting go,” these experience were an exhilarating pathway to push us out of our comfort zone.

That’s really sounds amazing! What are your favorite local places, spaces and eats to frequent?

Our family loves visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden, especially the Annual Orchid Show. Many colleagues and friends brought orchids to Northshore Wellness Center’s opening celebration, and orchids continue to brighten our clinic and home. We encourage clients to stop by the Garden after our appointment to implement one of our pillars of lifestyle medicine: outdoor exercise in green spaces.

After a walk through the flowers, we may stop to grab bites at Miramar, Madame Zuzu’s, Rosebud, or Guildhall.

We love attending live theater at the Lincolnshire Marriott, and recent favorites include The Sound of Music, West Side Story, and Titanic.

What are you reading, watching and listening to?

As mental health professionals, our podcast library consists of: ADDitude’s Strategies and Support for ADHD, the Carlat Report’s latest psychopharmacology updates, and Esther Perel’s relationship therapy talks, Where do we Begin.

Sitting on my nightstand are The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, The Empathic Parent’s Guide to Raising a Highly Sensitive Child by Freeda Meighan, and Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish’s How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk.

What’s one piece of advice you’ve gotten that’s guided you? Maybe this ties into your line of work…

“Don’t take no from someone who can’t give a yes.” This advice has helped me advocate tenaciously for my children and my clients to achieve their goals and meet their needs. In school systems, the workplace, and insurance company’s stumbling block of prior authorizations for necessary medications, we implement this modus operandi on behalf of our crew.

Dr. Amber May and Dr. Jehu Strange presenting to colleagues at the Nourish and Network event, hosted by Fusion Academy and ERC/Pathlight.

Did you always know you wanted to be in the mental health space?

My interest in medicine began in high school when I was accepted into the competitive Penwasciz Health Careers Program where we rotated through each unit of the hospital system, observed surgeries and births, and connected with mentors who inspired our career. During my undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago, I majored in biology with a specialization in neuroscience to research “the life of the mind.” Medical school, residency, and fellowship led to a deeper understanding of how to improve brain and body chemistry with therapy and pharmacology.

When did you establish your private practice, Northshore Wellness Center and what services do you provide?

We opened our doors to Northshore Wellness Center on April 1st 2024 with a vision to offer the most comprehensive, cohesive, and innovative medical and mental healthcare available. Our services include psychiatric care, family and lifestyle medicine, and real-time collaborative teamwork.

NSWC is dedicated to enhancing clients’ social, occupational, and academic success through accurate diagnosis and alleviation of inattention, impulsivity, anxiety, depression, and medical issues. We serve patients across most of the lifespan with proactive, preventive care that improves healthspan. Our clinic supports individuals, sibships, parent-child dyads, and entire families for a one-stop medical home.

We foster a patient-physician partnership that addresses root causes of emotional and physical symptoms by caring for each client’s mind, brain, and body as a whole.

The inspiration for Northshore Wellness Center came from our desire to bridge the gap in comprehensive medical workups for mental health. Often patients face long waits, fragmented care, and lack of answers as they navigate between specialists and primary care providers.

I like your approach to caring for the mind, brain, and body as a whole. With specialties so fragmented these days, how do you work towards achieving this in your clients?

We streamline this process by a family doctor and child psychiatrist together taking an extensive history, physical exam, vital signs, and curating a comprehensive lab workup to gather objective, tangible results which we analyze and interpret. Scientifically unpacking psychiatric symptoms offers multi-lens insights and solves diagnostic mysteries like a 3D chess game, allowing us to deliver precision recommendations within days.

We integrate the best of lifestyle medicine, including nutritional coaching, sleep hygiene, and deprescribing medications to enhance our patients’ daily routine. Each medication management visit occurs in the context of a therapeutic relationship during which we improve brain chemistry at a cellular and neurotransmitter level. Our holistic approach ensures all aspects of our clients’ well-being are considered: environmental stressors, physical health, and lifestyle factors. Our community deserves the most elite and innovative medicine at a local level.

Dr. Amber May and her husband attending the Annual American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Conference.

You are a double board-certified physician – what does this mean?

The journey to become a double board-certified child psychiatrist involved a pre-med undergraduate degree, four years of medical school, three years of residency, a two-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship,  and staying on as chief fellow. After all the training, we take two rigorous board examinations in general psychiatry and in child and adolescent psychiatry to achieve double board certification. This training ensures a deep understanding of a patient’s physiology and the pharmacology of how medications interact with the body and brain.

What is the difference between a psychologist, psychiatrist, licensed clinical social worker and a professional with a two year license?

The differences can best be communicated in this table below:

By collaborating and utilizing each of our highest levels of training and licensure, we can offer comprehensive, effective, and compassionate care. As a psychiatrist, my role is to provide medical expertise and quarterback each client’s care with the therapist, pediatrician, specialists, school system and other members of the treatment team.

The Northshore Wellness Center team out with collaborators and colleagues.

What advice do you have for the patient population about when to seek services from a psychiatrist?

If you or a loved one experiences persistent mood changes, anxiety, difficulty focusing or trouble functioning at work or school, consulting a psychiatrist may be helpful. Psychiatrists assess for underlying medical or neurobiological factors and offer a range of treatments, including medication when indicated.

How do you work in tandem with other mental health professionals?

We have an interdisciplinary team at Northshore Wellness Center including our physician duo, health coach and executive function coach, and many affiliated therapists. Our Highland Park and Chicago locations are both centers of medical and mental health excellence with many collaborating colleagues. Beyond our immediate vicinity, we encourage colleagues to join us by zoom, phone or come together in our Wellness Center while we see shared patients to discuss treatment plans as a team. We go into the school to observe our students, educate the staff, and advocate during 504 and IEP meetings.

You mentioned that the patient population can come to you for nutrition support – can you elaborate on this?

At Northshore Wellness, we view lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise and sleep as the foundation of mental health. We thoroughly assess for medical causes and comorbidities that may contribute to psychiatric symptoms, including nutritional deficiencies or excesses. Our process includes a detailed history, focused exam, and comprehensive lab testing to determine root causes of neuropsychiatric symptoms. When issues are identified, we provide practical guidance on diet, supplementation, and prescription medication. When necessary, we collaborate with dieticians and nutritionists. Our goal is to empower patients to make sustainable changes that support both mental and physical wellness.

What is your approach to helping children with medication support?

Every child I work with from both a physician and parent perspective, channeling how I care for my own children. We take a holistic and whole-child evidence-based approach, considering medication when symptoms are causing significant impairment. We involve families in every step, provide education about risks and benefits, and closely monitor progress to ensure safety and effectiveness.

We strive to validate a child’s lived experience, acknowledging the profound impact of their personal history, cultural background, and unique challenges. Simultaneously, we advocate for the healthiest and safest solutions. This holistic approach ensures we work towards fostering resilience, promoting recovery, and enhancing our clients’ overall quality of life.

Thank you! You have given us very comprehensive information, shedding light not only on you and your practice, but the key differences among mental health professions. Is there anything else we should know about you or Northshore Wellness?

Our team values ongoing education, community engagement, and a holistic approach to wellness. We practice medicine as both an art and a science. This mindset especially resonates in psychiatry, where we emphasize a patient-centered approach. It’s a field where the intricacies of the human mind and the complexities of individual experiences demand a nuanced understanding that goes beyond mere diagnoses and treatment protocols.

Last month, we were honored to be keynote speakers for the Nourish and Network hosted by Fusion Academy and ERC Pathlight and for Innovations in Mental Health: Treating Children, Teens, and Families conference hosted by Plena, Therapy Etc, Juniper Center, and Newport Health where we shared our medical psychiatry approach as keynote speakers, “Digging Deeper: Discovering Treatable Root Causes and Comorbities of Mental Health Conditions.”

Dr. Amber May and Dr. Jehu Strange as keynote speakers at Innovations in Mental Health conference hosted by Plena, Therapy Etc, Juniper Center, and Newport Health.

I’d also like to tell everyone about the launch of NorthShore Women’s Wellness Summit which takes place November 12, 2025 with a focus on women’s health by several expert women-owned medical, health and wellness practices around the North Shore: https://www.medlogicmd.com/north-shore-women-s-wellness. As an invited speaker, I share tips and guidance on “Optimizing Lifestyle Factors, Discovering Treatable Root Causes, Precision Prescribing of Vitamins, Supplements & Medications.”

And lastly, later this winter, we will return as guest lecturers for the Music Institute of Chicago’s extremely talented and dedicated pre-orchestra students on coping with performance stress and anxiety. We are honored to connect with students at all levels across the Northshore.

We are offering new, cutting edge services in the near future – stayed tuned!