Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Eberhardt De Master.
Hi Joy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m Dr. Joy Eberhardt De Master, MD, FAAP — or Dr. Joy. I’m a board-certified pediatrician, founder of Orchid Pediatrics, and many families know me as “The PDA Doc.” My work grew out of a deep frustration with the way families of neurodivergent children are often rushed, dismissed, or given fragmented answers when what they really need is someone to slow down, listen, and look at the whole child.
After years in pediatrics, I founded Orchid Pediatrics to create the kind of care I wished existed more often: root-cause, parent-led, neurodiversity-affirming, and deeply practical. We work with children and teens with autism, ADHD, PDA profiles, anxiety, sleep challenges, GI issues, feeding differences, sensory needs, and complex developmental or behavioral concerns.
This work is personal for me, too. I’m neurodivergent, bicultural, fluent in Spanish, and a parent of neurodivergent children. I know what it feels like to sit on both sides of the exam room — as the physician trying to make sense of complex symptoms, and as the parent who just wants someone to believe them.
At Orchid Pediatrics, my goal is simple: to help kids thrive and help parents feel seen. We don’t see behavior as “bad.” We see it as communication. We don’t believe families need more shame. They need clarity, partnership, and a plan.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth — but it has been meaningful. One of the biggest challenges has been building a practice that does not fit neatly into the traditional healthcare box. The families I serve often need time-rich, layered, whole-child care. That is hard to offer in systems built around 10- or 15-minute visits, insurance constraints, and quick fixes.
Another challenge has been learning how to build a business as a neurodivergent physician. I care deeply and think in systems, but I also have had to learn how to create workflows, boundaries, and support structures that protect my energy and allow me to serve families well. Entrepreneurship has been humbling. Medicine teaches you how to diagnose; it does not teach you how to build a sustainable, values-aligned practice from scratch.
There is also the emotional weight of this work. Many families come to us after years of being told “everything is normal” or “it’s just behavior.” By the time they find us, they are exhausted. Holding that pain while also helping families find a path forward is sacred work, but it requires courage, clarity, and a lot of support.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Orchid Pediatrics?
Orchid Pediatrics is a developmental, behavioral, and integrative pediatric practice based in Portland, Oregon. We provide in-person care in Portland and virtual care where Dr. Joy is licensed. Our focus is on children and teens with developmental and behavioral differences, especially neurodivergent children whose needs span multiple systems: sleep, gut health, nutrition, regulation, learning, sensory processing, anxiety, and family functioning.
Our care is intentionally different. We take longer visits. We believe parents. We look for root causes. We create practical plans families can actually use. Our approach blends conventional pediatrics with integrative and functional medicine, always grounded in safety, collaboration, and respect for the child’s nervous system.
We offer single-visit consults for families who need clarity quickly, deeper assessment pathways for families who need a fuller roadmap, and ongoing support options for children and families who benefit from continued care. We are also building resources, education, and community support so that families and clinicians have better tools for caring for neurodivergent children.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is that children feel safe being who they are — and that parents feel less alone.
I believe behavior is communication. I believe parents are experts on their children. I believe neurodivergent children deserve care that honors their nervous systems, not care that tries to force them into boxes that were never built for them.
I also care deeply about equity, belonging, and dignity in healthcare. Families should not have to fight so hard to be heard. Children should not have to be in crisis before adults take their needs seriously. And clinicians need better tools, too — because burnt-out providers cannot create the kind of compassionate, creative care families deserve.
The heart of my work is walking beside families. Not in front of them. Not behind them. Beside them.
Pricing:
- Free Discovery Call: available for families who want help choosing the right next step.
- Dr. Joy Consult: $675. This is a single-visit deep dive for families who need focused guidance, a second opinion, or clear next steps.
- Sprout Start Deep Dive: $3,950. This is a more comprehensive pathway over approximately six weeks for families who need a fuller developmental, behavioral, medical, and practical roadmap.
- Flourish Membership: $1,000/month with a six-month minimum, with a 12-month paid-in-full option of $11,000.
- HSA/FSA may be accepted for eligible services. Lab costs, when clinically useful, are separate.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://orchidpediatrics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.pda.doc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Orchid-Pediatrics-100080652554270/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orchid-pediatrics/
- Other: https://withdrjoy.com/
