I bridge the gap between psychiatric medicine and law, providing clarity and structure in complex legal cases involving mental health. As a psychiatrist expert witness, I support attorneys by translating psychiatric evidence into clear, defensible medical–legal analysis.
About Dr. Ellika McGuire
Dr. Ellika McGuire is a double board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist and psychoanalyst with more than a decade of clinical experience evaluating and treating patients across the lifespan. She brings deep expertise in pediatric psychiatry, general psychiatry, and psychoanalysis, with a practice grounded in developmental understanding, evidence-based care, and clear clinical reasoning.
Dr. McGuire earned her Doctor of Medicine from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine after completing her undergraduate studies at Brown University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in International Community Health. She completed her residency in general psychiatry and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She has continued advanced psychoanalytic training through the Seattle Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. Clinically, Dr. McGuire has extensive experience diagnosing and treating a broad range of psychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, psychotic disorders, autism spectrum disorder, trauma- and stress-related disorders, and complex developmental and family dynamics. Her work integrates psychopharmacology, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis, allowing for comprehensive, individualized care for children, adolescents, and adults from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Dr. McGuire has unique and well-recognized expertise working with LGBTQ+ youth and families, including transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. Her clinical approach emphasizes an in-depth understanding of identity development, parent-child relationships, and the psychological impact of trauma, adversity, and family transitions.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. McGuire is experienced in forensic and medicolegal psychiatry. She regularly evaluates and consults on matters involving personal injury, emotional injury, causation, standard of care, medical malpractice, disability, child abuse, sexual assault, gender-based violence, and family law. She has conducted independent medical examinations for disability and fit-for-duty evaluations and is retained evenly by prosecution and defense, reflecting her commitment to objective, balanced, and evidence-based opinions. Her reports are known for being thorough, well organized, and clearly written, providing attorneys and courts with clinically grounded and accessible analysis.
Dr. McGuire holds academic appointments at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where she serves as a Clinical Instructor and Clinical Psychotherapy Supervisor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. In these roles, she lectures on psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and development, and supervises child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. She is a frequent presenter at national professional meetings and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and academic texts.
She is an active member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the American Psychoanalytic Association, and the International Psychoanalytic Association. Dr. McGuire is also engaged in leadership and community service initiatives focused on education, mentorship, and access to mental health care.
Licensed to practice medicine in Colorado and Washington State, Dr. McGuire brings a thoughtful, developmentally informed, and clinically rigorous approach to both patient care and expert witness work. Her combined clinical, academic, and forensic experience allows her to deliver clear, defensible psychiatric opinions while maintaining a deep respect for the human complexity at the center of every case.
Our Mission
My mission is to deliver clear, defensible psychiatric analysis that empowers attorneys and demystifies the medical complexities at the center of legal cases through thoughtful medical-legal consulting.
Expertise that clarifies, compassion that supports.
Welcome, I’m Dr. Ellika McGuire. My path in psychiatry has been shaped by a commitment to clinical rigor, education, and clear communication. I founded this practice to support legal teams navigating high-stakes mental health cases with confidence, precision, and access to a psychiatrist expert witness grounded in evidence-based care.
I earned my MD from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine after completing a BA with Honors in International Community Health at Brown University. I completed psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training at the University of Washington, followed by advanced psychoanalytic training at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.
For more than a decade, I have evaluated and treated children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of psychiatric conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, psychotic disorders, autism spectrum disorder, trauma-related conditions, and complex family dynamics. My work integrates psychopharmacology and psychoanalytic psychotherapy to support nuanced clinical analysis.
I have recognized experience working with LGBTQ+ youth, families, and adults, including transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. My approach emphasizes identity development, family relationships, and the psychological effects of trauma, adversity, and family transitions.
In my forensic practice, I consult on cases involving personal injury, emotional harm, standards of care, medical malpractice, disability, abuse, assault, gender-based violence, and family law. Retained equally by plaintiff and defence, I provide objective, evidence-based opinions in clearly written reports.
I hold academic appointments at the University of Washington School of Medicine as a Clinical Instructor and Clinical Psychotherapy Supervisor, where I lecture on psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and development and supervise psychiatry fellows.
I am an active member of national professional organizations, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and leading psychoanalytic associations, supporting ongoing education and professional development.
Licensed in Colorado and Washington State, my medical-legal consulting brings a developmentally informed, clinically rigorous approach, combining clinical, academic, and legal experience to deliver clear, well-supported psychiatric opinions.
McGuire Medicolegal Pediatric Psychiatry Expert Witness provides legal psychiatry consultation services across Washington (Seattle, Bellevue, Tukwila, Edmonds), Tennessee (Nashville), Oregon, Alaska, California, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Colorado.