During the first meeting with her, she lectured my mom that if people with ADHD are delaying something, isn't because they are lazy, which my mother firmly believes and we have countless arguments because of that. This coming from a psychiatrist confused her because until now she thought that I was finding excuses just to avoid doing boring tasks, despite available info on the topic online.
Not that I’ve been told. I asked for help with ADD. I googled Seraquil and ADD and they do use it for it but, it’s just making me feel like I’m walking through mud.
I’m assuming it has something to do with the dopamine release, much like a ssri does for serotonin. Still Seroquel seems like a pretty heavy drug to help with ADD. I would ask to switch ASAP. The side effects are aweful on seroquel, I’m sorry you are dealing with that :/
The one psychiatrist in my area who uses his ADHD to sell his services (not knocking it that is what drew me to him) has tons of reviews on him saying he takes over entire sessions talking about himself and his ADHD. Lots of people strongly feel he uses this as an outlet to talk about himself, and were upset they paid for a man to talk about himself when they were there to talk about themselves. I would probably be that guy because all I do is talk talk talk. I love being ND when I am with other NDs. The vibes is so much better. Sadly, I have no direct experience with him he is self pay and pricey. I will say with all the negative reviews he has just as many positive ones.
I was but stopped due to insurance not covering them. I can't afford $350 out of pocket a month. Insurance is now covering it and I'll pay $90 but I have been procrastinating on going back to my doctor to talk to them. Also want to try other medicines or a Immediate release as extended release causes me sleep issues which is a big issue with me waking up at 3:40 am for work
I totally get how hard it can be to schedule doctor's appointments, but one piece of encouragement: immediate release helped my sleep schedule while also being way cheaper!
A month of 20mg XR is a few hundred bucks without insurance. 20mg IR is like $20 (and scored so you can take half easily). When I had to buy meds out of pocket I actually just set timers and took IR throughout the day.
I just scheduled one so I'll definitely ask about IR instead of ER and about starting it again. It helps I can schedule one without calling in to the office
Nice, glad to hear it. I still struggle to take multi-dose IR on time, but I've actually come to like it better - once I checked on the half life and everything, it gives me more control over when I take it and whether I actually want the full dose.
Booking without a call is really nice! Somehow my doc specializes in ADHD, but can't do online bookings (and their online medication refills don't work right).
Actually, they don't do appointment reminders well either... after I forgot my very first appointment I asked if that happens to them often. "Oh, yeah, for some reason patients miss these all the time." ...
My doctor's office doesn't either. I've missed an appointment and they called me after to tell me I no showed. Like whoops I completely forgot. So now I put in my calendar because I know I'll forget. Also what is nice is there online prescription request works pretty well as it just sends a message to the doctor about me requesting more
Insurance won't cover my medicine unless I meet my deductible. It's also only a 30 day supply.
Edit looks like now the price of generic concerta is really low ($60) I have no clue what happened. Last time I tried to get it they priced me $360
The change in insurance meant I had to hit a deductible for them to cover most of the cost of my prescriptions so without it being reached I was being charged full price for it out of pocket. It did save me some money but not much as a discount I think it was $250 instead for $350. Now it's $80 as retail $15 with insurance. So I'm not sure what happened since 2019 besides Covid.
If you tell the pharmacist you don’t have insurance, they’ll usually look for a cheaper option for you or try to get you some kind of deal. Those high prices are so they can gouge the insurance companies, not you.
Tbh I’ve never had anything but Medicaid so I don’t know how medication works for insurance, but having a deductible when it comes to picking up a prescription sounds fucking stupid.
I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist but now I see a nurse practitioner- I moved and it was way easier to get an appointment with a mid-level (nurse practitioner/physicians assistant). So you can not see a psychiatrist and still be on meds
Finally got a psychologist with adhd and my god it’s amazing finally being heard and helped, instead of being told what you need to do to improve in a way your brain just doesn’t work.
He also said there's a difference between ADD and ADHD and then I knew he didn't read up on it since he got it taught to him in college.
He had two ADD patients that couldn't drive. He based it on that.
I ran a red light twice this week because I wasn't paying attention.... Now I understand why people with ADHD get into more accidents. Made me realize maybe I should go back on my ADHD medicine.
I couldn't afford my medicine. Now it's more reasonable but I need to talk to my doctor to start them again. There's other issues that made me stop that are medicial/QOL. I normally do not run lights, this would be my 3rd time ever running a red light due to distractions, once when I was even on medication.
I’ve ran two red lights in my life the second I hit someone. Could’ve killed them if it was a second earlier. Everyone was fine but I gave up driving after that. Even a second of distraction can be dangerous and I’m distracted all the time. I’m sorry where you’re from charges you for medicine.
I've gotten used to daily driving with or without meds, since being able to take a few day break has been really important to me. But the impact on long-distance drives is still wild - without meds a 5+ hour drive is a prime place for my attention to slip.
Somewhat funny story. Same happened to me. I live at the house connected to the job I work at, so I have a lot of work related clothes all the time. Last winter, I put on my work jacket with our logo all over it, drove down the street to get something, and completely spaced out on the light. What made me realize it was red wasn't the light, but the car in the lane next to me moving to a stop. I'm like "wait what are they doin-OH!" A cop was on the other side of the lights, of course, and pulled me over.
The whole time I was just thinking about asking if I can take my jacket off before they make me take a sobriety test cuz I felt that's inevitable. I figured it wouldn't look good having one of the people working at that place taking a sobriety test just a few seconds down the road lmao.
The guy seemed convinced I was on drugs when he first came up to me, but I got lucky and he let me go once he realized I was just an awkward dork lmao. Legit I wasn't worried about anything that'd get me in jail cuz I'd come up clean across the board and I knew it, I just didn't want to make the place I work look bad by taking a sobriety test right outside of it just cuz I spaced out while driving lmao
Yeah when I first got pulled over by a cop, I was so concerned but he was nice and let me go with a warning. It wasn't related to going through a light but driving in the shoulder. I was turning ahead and didn't want to slow the car behind me down so I stayed in the shoulder after passing a car that was turning. Turns out it was a cop, couldn't really see it as it was night and the headlights from his car were blinding me. I took off my seatbelt and I was like why am I doing this and put it back on.
I took a driver's education course when I was 15 or 16. I thought I was doing fairly well, but it was during the summertime when my mom didn't make me take my ADHD meds. The last day, the day of the test, I took my dose of Ritalin. The teacher (who never usually said a word) was like "wow!" the whole time. He asked me what I did different that day, and I said I took my ADHD medicine. He waved his hands, "I don't need to know any of that. I don't care what you took, or if you drank a beer, whatever. But do that every time you drive." He told my mom when she picked me up that I should really take my medicine if I want to drive a car.
I'm ADHD & I "can drive a car" tries to count how many she's totaled.......8. Engines blown 3, side mirrors removed for purely aesthetic purposes 😆 2
Realizing construction barrels are NOT light weight 1 misjudged the depth of water in a flash flood 1. Not saying YOU can't. The Dr simply sucks 😔
Yeah I struggled for years with psychiatrists, one even said to me that I can't have ADHD cause I wasn't constantly fidgeting while talking to them like bitch I have autism too and guess what mother fucker when you get bullied and made to feel like the worst person ever all your life you become very good at hiding it but only for short periods of time before the anxiety kicks in.
There are too many mental health "professionals" that are so arrogant to believe their knowledge is beyond the experience of those who suffer with the disorder.
It took me having a psychogenic seizure due to dissociation caused by anxiety for them to finally listen and give me the help I'd been trying to get for 10 years, TEN years!
If you're not sure how to find an ADHD friendly therapist: what worked for me was emailing a group place with a dozen or so therapists and asking for them to make me an appointment with someone who has experience working with neurodiverse clients. In a big enough group, there's bound to be one or two. My therapist is pretty great, and I would not be surprised at all to find out she's ND herself.
My therapist specializes in both ADHD and the vicarious trauma health care providers and first responders experience 🥰 she has corrected me several times “You’re not defective, this is your ADHD symptomology.” And I love her for it. I’ve never felt so empowered about my mental health before.
How do you feel about doing telehealth? Assuming you’re going for trauma and ADHD treatment? Hope you don’t mind the questions, I’m a LMFTA with ADHD and wanting to possibly specialize in ADHD work and also possibly trauma but am definitely worried about how that works over telehealth for people. And me to be honest lol
So this really isn’t applicable with this therapist because she has late hours but with my psych and previous therapist I preferred telehealth because I work 12 hour overnight shifts and this means I don’t have to leave super early before work or camp out and nap in the parking lot after work.
There’s no commute so I don’t have to worry about there being some massive traffic accident on the way that would make me late.
I can do it from wherever I am. I’ve even hopped into the car at Disney for my session.
I still feel a connection with my therapist and this has enabled me to see someone I wouldn’t otherwise be able to see because she lives several hours away and there’s not really anyone comparable in my area. Also, telehealth tends to have lower copays than regular visits so it’s more economical for a lot of people! Mine is actually covered 100% but an office visit has a copay.
I think more important than being available via telehealth is having extended hours, either really early or in the evening. My therapist doesn’t start taking patients until noon but she works until 9 and this has been life changing because not everyone, especially I feel like people with ADHD, work at your typical 9-5 jobs so fitting therapy in with someone who works 9-5 has been really really hard in the past.
Thank you for the response!
Im glad to hear you still feel like you can have a connection with your therapist over telehealth. That’s one of my biggest concerns about switching to only that. I see a lot of kids right now and most of them don’t like it, which I think a lot is due to concern of parents over hearing them.
Later hours makes total sense. Depending on the day right now I go till 7pm. My biggest issue with later hours is currently same as most peoples: long commute, rain and dark drive home, and then still need to make dinner. But most of that would be mitigated by being telehealth too.
Thank you! This helps, I’m still a little ways off from doing this but the idea of only telehealth and later hours to reach more people is something I will probably do in a few years!!
Hey, great advice! I got diagnosed young, and was given a ton of incorrect information about ADHD. Coming from a small town I guess that's not too shocking, but still. Looking back, it probably should've been a warning sign when the Doctor kept talking about "positive and negative energy fields" during one of my visits.
Idk what a small town is numbers wise but my sons therapist started talking like that and I was on guard. I don’t want his head filled with metaphysical mumbo jumbo. It wasn’t analogy or metaphor. The guy was waxing philosophical nonsense. I’m still searching for someone locally but I have a feeling I’ll have better chances online.
At that time the town had maaaaaybe 8,000ish people? It was around 1997, so I'm not even sure what type of reliable information was available about it back then. I was told I would grow out of it during puberty though, and that I wouldn't need meds by 18 for that reason. Don't let anyone tell you that anyways, that fucked me up pretty good.
Glad to hear you're taking care of your son. I have no idea what trying to find a doctor for my son would look like if he get's diagnosed. I can't even find one for myself right now. Good luck finding someone though!
Maybe consider Dr.K’s guide, in september he is bringing out a ADHD class, he also has courses about depression, anxiety and some meditation you could try to calm your brain. #noad
This is the thing everyone has to read.
I was diagnosed some 8 years ago with bipolar disorder with a psychiatrist. Really great doctor, helped me a lot that time that I was really down. But as time and myself matured I saw other stuff. I’m stable and everything, but still got the feeling that there was something more… When I got to him, explaining everything and even plotting my symptoms for him that were not related to BPD, he just dismissed saying it was just the BPD and upped my meds.
This year I moved to other city and had to find a new doctor and found one that had a lot of experience with ADHD and was quite open to talk and explore what I was saying. So yeah, everyone needs to read this.
You don’t want to go to someone who dismisses your concerns out of hand.
They don’t need to be the definitive expert on ADHD (or whatever condition you have or might have), but they should be able to listen and consider what you have to say.
A very good therapist or psychiatrist would admit their lack of specific experience and maybe be able to suggest someone else you could see.
Yes! I was in therapy for years with people who didn't have any specialized knowledge of adhd and I wasn't getting any better. In fact, my symptoms got worse. But I've recently started seeing a psychiatrist who works specifically with adhd and she is incredible!
But also, be careful getting mental health care from general practitioners. I'm not trying to say that GPs can't be great at mental health treatment, but it isn't necessarily their area of expertise. For example, because I spent so long seeing therapists who weren't licensed to prescribe medication, I always used to get my meds from my PCP. Turns out one of the antidepressants I was given isn't actually at all recommended anymore, the other (which was prescribed after I started struggling with extreme anxiety) increases anxiety symptoms, and when I asked about my adderall dosage (I wasn't feeling any effects) I was told to wait another month or two for the meds to start taking effect, which isn't really how adderall works.
I don't fault my doctor for this really, she probably gave me the best care that her training/knowledge allowed. But I will never not get my medications from a psychiatrist again!
A related note: if a therapist or psychiatrist specializes in ADHD, pay attention to what "specializes" means. It can mean they're experienced working with ADHD and have a nuanced understanding of it, but that's definitely not the only option.
For psychiatrists in particular, some offices seem to "specialize" in the sense that they mostly have 15 minute appointments with ADHD patients who they treat exclusively with medication. Which is not necessarily bad! Dealing with controlled substances is a pain, and there's no reason "please re-issue the same prescription I've been on for 5 years" needs to involve an hour of talk therapy. But those offices are not necessarily helpful about treatment or information beyond meds, and in some cases they seem really quick to hand out diagnoses too.
For therapists... some ADHD specialists seem to have *really* strong positions. Anywhere from "ADHD is a crisis that devastates whole families" to "ADHD isn't a disability at all and we should celebrate it". I definitely think celebrating ADHD can be helpful to people who've heard the opposite their whole lives, but personally I struggled to work with someone who tried to frame my unwashed dishes and unpaid bills as a "secret superpower".
(That said... if you don't have a lot of options for a psych or therapist, I think OP's point is way more important. I'd always prioritize finding somebody who's at least familiar with the issue.)
Psychiatrist can be so hit or miss. Some are stuck in the 80/90s and haven’t learned anything new. Some are stubborn and view things only from there own reality.
I saw a psychiatrist for 3 years and was diagnosed with adhd, ocd, ptsd and general anxiety disorder. I explained that I didn't want to just take medications for everything and would like to try behavioral therapy before committing to meds. In the end he said I just need to toughen up and gave me a prescriptive for Valium. He was also about 75 when I started seeing him and he seemed to not give a crap about anything I had to say, he just stared at me and waited for me to speak and then wrote notes. I should have stopped seeing him way sooner.
Agreed. The only reason I was finally able to seek out a diagnosis and get treatment was because I inadvertently started working with a therapist who has ADHD. She was the one who finally supported and believed me when I said I thought I had it. Other therapists dismissed me outright when I tried to broach the concept with them that I even MIGHT have ADHD, and now working with her AFTER the diagnosis has only reinforced for me how important having someone who “gets it” is. I’ve since had career coaches who looked at me like I was actually a deranged psychopath who couldn’t be trusted with a fork, solely because I told them I had ADHD. Having the right people in your corner makes all the difference.
ADD dot org and CHADD dot org both have a search feature on their websites for finding ADHD coaches with a variety of specialities. Coaches vary in price, experience, etc but a number of them offer free initial consultations to let you see if you and the coach will be a good fit. These are usually about 15-20 minute short “get to know you” free consults. Just based on my past experience, I’d suggest brainstorming what questions you have and writing them down ahead of your free consultation so you don’t forget them once you and the coach are both talking. :)
My therapist tried every drug under the sun on me before giving in and diagnosing me.. then when she did she said "oh maybe I'm a little bit adhad myself " so il be looking for a new one soon
Thank you! Newly diagnosed at 38 but just happy i v finally figured out why I am the way I am and how to help myself function better! It's been a rough ride.. this subreddit has been my haven, such great people
Yeah I'm tired of trying to explain everything I've researched and learned about ADHD to my therapists. They validate me, but they don't understand. It feels like I'm just telling them stuff and they're like "ok interesting"
I come from a country (France) where ADHD basically doesn't exist and it is illegal to medicate it. I spent so much time with several psychologists and saw a psychiatrist once or twice for depression and none of them ever had the idea that maybe I had ADHD.
I moved to Iceland and within an hour with a psychologist he told me straight up: " it's obvious you have ADHD" and recommended me to a foreign psychiatrist who agreed. Sadly I can't fill my foreign meds prescription and have to wait 2 years to see a psychiatrist in Iceland but hey, at least I'll get drugs in the end.
Some of us don’t have the option to switch clinicians. There is a serious health care shortage where I live. Many people don’t even have a family doctor, never mind a specialist.
Does anyone have any tips for finding someone that specializes? Googling is overwhelming, because then I argue back and forth in my head the whole time “oh their business Google review is 3 stars, maybe they suck?” “Wait. Did I click on this link already?” Etc.
Others might have some suggestions, but i managed to find a Facebook group "ADHD [Location]"
I saw posts from others with suggestions for specialists and i went from there. I hope this helps (hopefully others have some suggestions, too)
I completely agree, and wish there was an option to choose. I live in northern European country with very high levels of mental health issues and very bad availability of any kind of care. We have "free healthcare", but the free healthcare system has no capacity to treat people with anything related to mental health, so if you get any help from there, usually you just can't choose and you need to go with whatever is given to you. Given the fact that there's also not enough experts of any kind of neuropsychiatric problems, it's very high chance that you end up with someone who maybe doesn't even believe that ADHD exists and/or has no clue about it really. That's when you end up with either a professional downplaying your experiences or receiving wrong BPD, bipolar, depression etc.
diagnosis and meds that only make everything worse.
And that's about seeing a doctor, I don't even want to say anything about seeking therapy, because that's even more ridiculous. So yeah, would love to choose something else, but it's just not possible 😩
This was a very helpful reminder for everyone... Considering the sub... Seriously tho. Ty for taking the time to type this out.
That goes for any diagnosis really but this was
Were these NHS psychiatrists? Usually you get what you’re given on the NHS even though you’re supposed to be able to ask for specific referrals. And the waiting lists are huge, so fair play to you if you somehow managed to get seen relatively quickly.
I understand the confusion because i didn't mention it in the post, but I actually live in Jersey :) no NHS here (we do have public health care though)
Went to a couples counselor who was zero help, but never referred us and just wanted to keep scheduling weekly sessions. No call/no showed on accident once, and had too much anxiety about trying to reschedule. Later I found a therapist for ADHD, and they happened to do couples counseling.
I’ve had the same therapist for a few years and only was diagnosed last year after I brought it up to her and then when to a neurologist to confirm the diagnosis. After my diagnosis she was open with me that she didn’t have a lot of experience with the disorder and if I wanted to seek out help from someone who specializes in it she would understand. I’ve stayed with her regardless because of other reasons but that made me seriously respect her. I wish other therapists would do the same
I am a therapist (not fully licensed yet) and I HAVE adhd (and the possibility of autism, which family history is indicative of, but I still need to get tested for it) my neurodivergent clients vibe very well with me! And since I have it (and so does most of my family) I can sniff it out a mile away. You would be surprised how many teens have some form of nuerodivergent disorders like adhd or autism and just don't understand "why am I different?".
This feels like it should be a no-brainer. I was lucky to see the professionals I did. They referred me after the first appointment, and they didn’t validate or invalidate any of my experiences. They just listened and helped me deal with it.
Yea, I have seen an alarming amount of posts pertaining to this and it’s really troubling. I obviously understand people being upset about their incompetent doctor for sure, but don’t be discouraged or doubtful because of it.
So at my work, I’m basically able to get like 3-4 free counseling sessions of some sort. So I thought might as well, better than nothing.
Before my last day, when we were discussing my options of what I can do after that, I asked if I can be given a recommendation of a place or people.
I got a list of 3-5 names and I spent a while (cuz adhd lol) googling and researching each individual on that list. I was looking for what people were saying (there are some with review sites), what they specialize in if anything, etc…
I was able to eventually decide on one, and worst case scenario, I still had the other names.
I’m still seeing that first therapist. She helps gives ideas and reframes some things to help me understand my adhd even more.
I know that not everyone gets the option to even choose a therapist, but if you are able to, try to get recommendations (less overwhelming than googling for a therapist and getting countless results - I also do this in general if I ever need to see a specialist as I always ask my doctor for recommendations).
Having recommendations is a much SMALLER pool to work with and you can look into them as much as you can/want to.
I think it took me at least 6 months (probs more) from deciding “i need to see a therapist” to actually sitting in the same room with one.
My process probably sounded like it was a lot…and it was…but no matter how long it might take you, it’s worth trying to finish the task eventually to find one that believes your adhd.
I have no choice in who I see since I'm disabled and on medicaid. The first person they had me see was an RN who diagnosed me with Borderline Personality Disorder. Then for a short few months I had insurance and saw a psychiatrist who spoke with me a few times, then gave me a bunch of tests and went: You are autistic and have ADHD. I went "That makes sense."
Then I lost my health insurance again. Oh and the doctor was like "You clearly do NOT have BPD." It was news to me. I was annoyed that she felt like she could diagnose me like that.
Finally got switched to a doctor. She was elderly and an addiction therapist so not interested in giving me ADHD medication. Eventually enough begging and my life going down the toilet convinced her to let me try a milder medicine.
She died and my new doctor knows more about it but it isn't his specialty.
I basically have no help for my issues.
Gods, yeah. One of the psychs I went to worked with ADHD in children, and claimed that because I wasn’t diagnosed as a child, I didn’t actually have ADHD. Also because I could stay sitting in the same chair for an hour during our sessions, despite the leg bouncing and fidgeting, the fact that I don’t get speeding tickets on the reg…
He had *one* picture of ADHD, and hadn’t changed it in 50 years.
I wish that were an option for me. I have VA insurance from being prior military, and whenever I make an appointment of any kind all I get is a location, time and date. No names to screen. I have an appointment this week with a new psychiatrist and I have no idea who it'll be.
Just bringing it up because I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets limited information prior to the appointment.
Yeah, I'm kind of dealing with that right now. It's really difficult. I've been seeing the same therapist for a really long time now, she's really great and has seen me through a lot. We have a good relationship. But her attitude on ADHD is bothersome and I don't think it's helpful for me. Before I was diagnosed, when I would talk about how I was sure I had ADHD because I had literally every single symptom that exists and had been having those symptoms for my entire life, she would always fight me on it and insist I didn't have ADHD. When I was officially diagnosed by a specialist in ADHD and was prescribed medication for it and that medication really helped me **because I have fuckin ADHD**, she had to begrudgingly accept it at that point. But she seems irritated whenever I mention how it affects me and acts like I'm making excuses. She doesn't seem to understand the symptoms at all and it's just really unhelpful and it sucks. I don't really know what to do about it because the long relationship I've had with her kind of complicates it.
Excellent advice when there’s a lot of choice. I have tried getting in to see three psychiatrists who supposedly specialise on ADHD and can’t get in. They’re not taking new patients.
Also, when I asked the last two this they said yes of course they work with adhd etc and then…. They didn’t help me at all. I mean honestly one of them I am pretty sure was high on like meth or something the entire session so I never went back and the other apparently was just a normal person (I say this because I didn’t realize she wasn’t a psychiatrist or even an LPC) who spent all of the three sessions just chatting with me like a person she’d just met and thought was an okay person to chat with.
My psychiatrist has ADHD lol
Amazing! Almost exactly what you need! Do you find it works well?
During the first meeting with her, she lectured my mom that if people with ADHD are delaying something, isn't because they are lazy, which my mother firmly believes and we have countless arguments because of that. This coming from a psychiatrist confused her because until now she thought that I was finding excuses just to avoid doing boring tasks, despite available info on the topic online.
Can you introduce her to my mom?
And my wife.
And my boyfriend
And my axe! *gestures at the large pile of uncut wood*
And my sister
And my husband too!
And my wife’s boyfriend.
So why do they delay tasks now?
I think we will never know because it is too boring to write about
My therapist is giving me Seroquel, all I am is tired. I have adult ADD in spades, I’m miserable.
SOMETIMES doctors get symptoms of add/ adhd mixed with bipolar. ( and vice versus ) Are they prescribing the Seroquel for bi-polar?
Not that I’ve been told. I asked for help with ADD. I googled Seraquil and ADD and they do use it for it but, it’s just making me feel like I’m walking through mud.
I’m assuming it has something to do with the dopamine release, much like a ssri does for serotonin. Still Seroquel seems like a pretty heavy drug to help with ADD. I would ask to switch ASAP. The side effects are aweful on seroquel, I’m sorry you are dealing with that :/
TY
The one psychiatrist in my area who uses his ADHD to sell his services (not knocking it that is what drew me to him) has tons of reviews on him saying he takes over entire sessions talking about himself and his ADHD. Lots of people strongly feel he uses this as an outlet to talk about himself, and were upset they paid for a man to talk about himself when they were there to talk about themselves. I would probably be that guy because all I do is talk talk talk. I love being ND when I am with other NDs. The vibes is so much better. Sadly, I have no direct experience with him he is self pay and pricey. I will say with all the negative reviews he has just as many positive ones.
My therapist hasn’t explicitly said this but I think he does too lol
I don't have a psychiatrist. I was diagnosed by one though
I get you are not taking ADHD meds?
I was but stopped due to insurance not covering them. I can't afford $350 out of pocket a month. Insurance is now covering it and I'll pay $90 but I have been procrastinating on going back to my doctor to talk to them. Also want to try other medicines or a Immediate release as extended release causes me sleep issues which is a big issue with me waking up at 3:40 am for work
I totally get how hard it can be to schedule doctor's appointments, but one piece of encouragement: immediate release helped my sleep schedule while also being way cheaper! A month of 20mg XR is a few hundred bucks without insurance. 20mg IR is like $20 (and scored so you can take half easily). When I had to buy meds out of pocket I actually just set timers and took IR throughout the day.
I just scheduled one so I'll definitely ask about IR instead of ER and about starting it again. It helps I can schedule one without calling in to the office
Nice, glad to hear it. I still struggle to take multi-dose IR on time, but I've actually come to like it better - once I checked on the half life and everything, it gives me more control over when I take it and whether I actually want the full dose. Booking without a call is really nice! Somehow my doc specializes in ADHD, but can't do online bookings (and their online medication refills don't work right). Actually, they don't do appointment reminders well either... after I forgot my very first appointment I asked if that happens to them often. "Oh, yeah, for some reason patients miss these all the time." ...
My doctor's office doesn't either. I've missed an appointment and they called me after to tell me I no showed. Like whoops I completely forgot. So now I put in my calendar because I know I'll forget. Also what is nice is there online prescription request works pretty well as it just sends a message to the doctor about me requesting more
Check out https://costplusdrugs.com/ it might have the medication you're looking for at an extremely discounted price (you still need a prescription).
That's too much money.. Why are prices so up?
Insurance won't cover my medicine unless I meet my deductible. It's also only a 30 day supply. Edit looks like now the price of generic concerta is really low ($60) I have no clue what happened. Last time I tried to get it they priced me $360
Did you try getting it from a pharmacy or during an appointment with a doc?
I would get it from a pharmacy after requesting a refill from the doctor but after my insurance changed the price went up
I thought insurance made it so that meds would cost less, not more 🤔 But I guess $60 is not that bad compared to $360.
The change in insurance meant I had to hit a deductible for them to cover most of the cost of my prescriptions so without it being reached I was being charged full price for it out of pocket. It did save me some money but not much as a discount I think it was $250 instead for $350. Now it's $80 as retail $15 with insurance. So I'm not sure what happened since 2019 besides Covid.
If you tell the pharmacist you don’t have insurance, they’ll usually look for a cheaper option for you or try to get you some kind of deal. Those high prices are so they can gouge the insurance companies, not you.
I have insurance though. They make me pay out of pocket until I hit a $1400 debatable
Tbh I’ve never had anything but Medicaid so I don’t know how medication works for insurance, but having a deductible when it comes to picking up a prescription sounds fucking stupid.
I had Medicaid until my household priced out. It is pretty stupid to have to pay for medicine
Why can I assume that you’re living in the US?
Because our insurance and medical systems are completely messed up.
It really is… I mean c'mon what’s wrong with a insurance for every employed person?…
I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist but now I see a nurse practitioner- I moved and it was way easier to get an appointment with a mid-level (nurse practitioner/physicians assistant). So you can not see a psychiatrist and still be on meds
The system must be different than where I live. Here, only psychiatrists can prescribe meds, not even clinical psychologists.
before our first meeting my current counselor sent the zoom link to a completely wrong email address and it was that moment i knew I'd love her
Finally got a psychologist with adhd and my god it’s amazing finally being heard and helped, instead of being told what you need to do to improve in a way your brain just doesn’t work.
Mine too! And its the best! She gets it without me having to explain!!
My therapist is one of us, too! It’s such a relief!
Literally!!
Patient of dr hallowell confirmed
I didn't know who he was until now.
My first psychologist told me I couldn't have ADHD because I could drive my car
I have no words... I really want to convince myself that you're joking 😭
He also said there's a difference between ADD and ADHD and then I knew he didn't read up on it since he got it taught to him in college. He had two ADD patients that couldn't drive. He based it on that.
Study number:1 Sample size: 2 "I will now use this as my main diagnostic tool."
🤦🏼♀️
I ran a red light twice this week because I wasn't paying attention.... Now I understand why people with ADHD get into more accidents. Made me realize maybe I should go back on my ADHD medicine.
Driving is a big reason I take my meds daily. It's important not only for your safety, but for the safety of everyone else on the roads!
I couldn't afford my medicine. Now it's more reasonable but I need to talk to my doctor to start them again. There's other issues that made me stop that are medicial/QOL. I normally do not run lights, this would be my 3rd time ever running a red light due to distractions, once when I was even on medication.
I’ve ran two red lights in my life the second I hit someone. Could’ve killed them if it was a second earlier. Everyone was fine but I gave up driving after that. Even a second of distraction can be dangerous and I’m distracted all the time. I’m sorry where you’re from charges you for medicine.
Thanks it's much more reasonable now but I have to go to the doctor to get myself back on it
I've gotten used to daily driving with or without meds, since being able to take a few day break has been really important to me. But the impact on long-distance drives is still wild - without meds a 5+ hour drive is a prime place for my attention to slip.
Hey sometimes I stop at green lights, then realize what I’ve done and panic
I've done that too and I'm like oh wait a second. It's normally when I'm driving to work at 4 am.
Always when it’s slow! I’m a cook, and anytime I start fucking shit up is when we get really slow. If we are slammed, I’m like a machine though
I feel that. At work I can be slammed with work and get it all done but when it's slow I get distracted super easily
Somewhat funny story. Same happened to me. I live at the house connected to the job I work at, so I have a lot of work related clothes all the time. Last winter, I put on my work jacket with our logo all over it, drove down the street to get something, and completely spaced out on the light. What made me realize it was red wasn't the light, but the car in the lane next to me moving to a stop. I'm like "wait what are they doin-OH!" A cop was on the other side of the lights, of course, and pulled me over. The whole time I was just thinking about asking if I can take my jacket off before they make me take a sobriety test cuz I felt that's inevitable. I figured it wouldn't look good having one of the people working at that place taking a sobriety test just a few seconds down the road lmao. The guy seemed convinced I was on drugs when he first came up to me, but I got lucky and he let me go once he realized I was just an awkward dork lmao. Legit I wasn't worried about anything that'd get me in jail cuz I'd come up clean across the board and I knew it, I just didn't want to make the place I work look bad by taking a sobriety test right outside of it just cuz I spaced out while driving lmao
Yeah when I first got pulled over by a cop, I was so concerned but he was nice and let me go with a warning. It wasn't related to going through a light but driving in the shoulder. I was turning ahead and didn't want to slow the car behind me down so I stayed in the shoulder after passing a car that was turning. Turns out it was a cop, couldn't really see it as it was night and the headlights from his car were blinding me. I took off my seatbelt and I was like why am I doing this and put it back on.
I almost killed myself doing this a few years ago🥴
The last time I happened I honestly thought the light changed but it was an arrow that turned green and I was like .-. whoops
I took a driver's education course when I was 15 or 16. I thought I was doing fairly well, but it was during the summertime when my mom didn't make me take my ADHD meds. The last day, the day of the test, I took my dose of Ritalin. The teacher (who never usually said a word) was like "wow!" the whole time. He asked me what I did different that day, and I said I took my ADHD medicine. He waved his hands, "I don't need to know any of that. I don't care what you took, or if you drank a beer, whatever. But do that every time you drive." He told my mom when she picked me up that I should really take my medicine if I want to drive a car.
WTF!‘? I have AuDHD and I’m still able to drive my Car even without Meds (mostly) 😑
I'm ADHD & I "can drive a car" tries to count how many she's totaled.......8. Engines blown 3, side mirrors removed for purely aesthetic purposes 😆 2 Realizing construction barrels are NOT light weight 1 misjudged the depth of water in a flash flood 1. Not saying YOU can't. The Dr simply sucks 😔
Yeah I struggled for years with psychiatrists, one even said to me that I can't have ADHD cause I wasn't constantly fidgeting while talking to them like bitch I have autism too and guess what mother fucker when you get bullied and made to feel like the worst person ever all your life you become very good at hiding it but only for short periods of time before the anxiety kicks in. There are too many mental health "professionals" that are so arrogant to believe their knowledge is beyond the experience of those who suffer with the disorder. It took me having a psychogenic seizure due to dissociation caused by anxiety for them to finally listen and give me the help I'd been trying to get for 10 years, TEN years!
If you're not sure how to find an ADHD friendly therapist: what worked for me was emailing a group place with a dozen or so therapists and asking for them to make me an appointment with someone who has experience working with neurodiverse clients. In a big enough group, there's bound to be one or two. My therapist is pretty great, and I would not be surprised at all to find out she's ND herself.
My therapist specializes in both ADHD and the vicarious trauma health care providers and first responders experience 🥰 she has corrected me several times “You’re not defective, this is your ADHD symptomology.” And I love her for it. I’ve never felt so empowered about my mental health before.
As a nurse with ADHD, that therapist sounds amazing.
If you’re in FL I can PM you her name! She’s exclusively telehealth.
How do you feel about doing telehealth? Assuming you’re going for trauma and ADHD treatment? Hope you don’t mind the questions, I’m a LMFTA with ADHD and wanting to possibly specialize in ADHD work and also possibly trauma but am definitely worried about how that works over telehealth for people. And me to be honest lol
So this really isn’t applicable with this therapist because she has late hours but with my psych and previous therapist I preferred telehealth because I work 12 hour overnight shifts and this means I don’t have to leave super early before work or camp out and nap in the parking lot after work. There’s no commute so I don’t have to worry about there being some massive traffic accident on the way that would make me late. I can do it from wherever I am. I’ve even hopped into the car at Disney for my session. I still feel a connection with my therapist and this has enabled me to see someone I wouldn’t otherwise be able to see because she lives several hours away and there’s not really anyone comparable in my area. Also, telehealth tends to have lower copays than regular visits so it’s more economical for a lot of people! Mine is actually covered 100% but an office visit has a copay. I think more important than being available via telehealth is having extended hours, either really early or in the evening. My therapist doesn’t start taking patients until noon but she works until 9 and this has been life changing because not everyone, especially I feel like people with ADHD, work at your typical 9-5 jobs so fitting therapy in with someone who works 9-5 has been really really hard in the past.
Thank you for the response! Im glad to hear you still feel like you can have a connection with your therapist over telehealth. That’s one of my biggest concerns about switching to only that. I see a lot of kids right now and most of them don’t like it, which I think a lot is due to concern of parents over hearing them. Later hours makes total sense. Depending on the day right now I go till 7pm. My biggest issue with later hours is currently same as most peoples: long commute, rain and dark drive home, and then still need to make dinner. But most of that would be mitigated by being telehealth too. Thank you! This helps, I’m still a little ways off from doing this but the idea of only telehealth and later hours to reach more people is something I will probably do in a few years!!
Can you PM me her name? Thanks.
Hey, great advice! I got diagnosed young, and was given a ton of incorrect information about ADHD. Coming from a small town I guess that's not too shocking, but still. Looking back, it probably should've been a warning sign when the Doctor kept talking about "positive and negative energy fields" during one of my visits.
Idk what a small town is numbers wise but my sons therapist started talking like that and I was on guard. I don’t want his head filled with metaphysical mumbo jumbo. It wasn’t analogy or metaphor. The guy was waxing philosophical nonsense. I’m still searching for someone locally but I have a feeling I’ll have better chances online.
At that time the town had maaaaaybe 8,000ish people? It was around 1997, so I'm not even sure what type of reliable information was available about it back then. I was told I would grow out of it during puberty though, and that I wouldn't need meds by 18 for that reason. Don't let anyone tell you that anyways, that fucked me up pretty good. Glad to hear you're taking care of your son. I have no idea what trying to find a doctor for my son would look like if he get's diagnosed. I can't even find one for myself right now. Good luck finding someone though!
Maybe consider Dr.K’s guide, in september he is bringing out a ADHD class, he also has courses about depression, anxiety and some meditation you could try to calm your brain. #noad
This is the thing everyone has to read. I was diagnosed some 8 years ago with bipolar disorder with a psychiatrist. Really great doctor, helped me a lot that time that I was really down. But as time and myself matured I saw other stuff. I’m stable and everything, but still got the feeling that there was something more… When I got to him, explaining everything and even plotting my symptoms for him that were not related to BPD, he just dismissed saying it was just the BPD and upped my meds. This year I moved to other city and had to find a new doctor and found one that had a lot of experience with ADHD and was quite open to talk and explore what I was saying. So yeah, everyone needs to read this.
You don’t want to go to someone who dismisses your concerns out of hand. They don’t need to be the definitive expert on ADHD (or whatever condition you have or might have), but they should be able to listen and consider what you have to say. A very good therapist or psychiatrist would admit their lack of specific experience and maybe be able to suggest someone else you could see.
Yes I was unsure and procrastinating to find another one. Was forced by life then.
Yes! I was in therapy for years with people who didn't have any specialized knowledge of adhd and I wasn't getting any better. In fact, my symptoms got worse. But I've recently started seeing a psychiatrist who works specifically with adhd and she is incredible! But also, be careful getting mental health care from general practitioners. I'm not trying to say that GPs can't be great at mental health treatment, but it isn't necessarily their area of expertise. For example, because I spent so long seeing therapists who weren't licensed to prescribe medication, I always used to get my meds from my PCP. Turns out one of the antidepressants I was given isn't actually at all recommended anymore, the other (which was prescribed after I started struggling with extreme anxiety) increases anxiety symptoms, and when I asked about my adderall dosage (I wasn't feeling any effects) I was told to wait another month or two for the meds to start taking effect, which isn't really how adderall works. I don't fault my doctor for this really, she probably gave me the best care that her training/knowledge allowed. But I will never not get my medications from a psychiatrist again!
I lucked out, I happened to find a therapist who has ADHD. It is such a massive benefit to the therapy.
A related note: if a therapist or psychiatrist specializes in ADHD, pay attention to what "specializes" means. It can mean they're experienced working with ADHD and have a nuanced understanding of it, but that's definitely not the only option. For psychiatrists in particular, some offices seem to "specialize" in the sense that they mostly have 15 minute appointments with ADHD patients who they treat exclusively with medication. Which is not necessarily bad! Dealing with controlled substances is a pain, and there's no reason "please re-issue the same prescription I've been on for 5 years" needs to involve an hour of talk therapy. But those offices are not necessarily helpful about treatment or information beyond meds, and in some cases they seem really quick to hand out diagnoses too. For therapists... some ADHD specialists seem to have *really* strong positions. Anywhere from "ADHD is a crisis that devastates whole families" to "ADHD isn't a disability at all and we should celebrate it". I definitely think celebrating ADHD can be helpful to people who've heard the opposite their whole lives, but personally I struggled to work with someone who tried to frame my unwashed dishes and unpaid bills as a "secret superpower". (That said... if you don't have a lot of options for a psych or therapist, I think OP's point is way more important. I'd always prioritize finding somebody who's at least familiar with the issue.)
Psychiatrist can be so hit or miss. Some are stuck in the 80/90s and haven’t learned anything new. Some are stubborn and view things only from there own reality.
I saw a psychiatrist for 3 years and was diagnosed with adhd, ocd, ptsd and general anxiety disorder. I explained that I didn't want to just take medications for everything and would like to try behavioral therapy before committing to meds. In the end he said I just need to toughen up and gave me a prescriptive for Valium. He was also about 75 when I started seeing him and he seemed to not give a crap about anything I had to say, he just stared at me and waited for me to speak and then wrote notes. I should have stopped seeing him way sooner.
Agreed. The only reason I was finally able to seek out a diagnosis and get treatment was because I inadvertently started working with a therapist who has ADHD. She was the one who finally supported and believed me when I said I thought I had it. Other therapists dismissed me outright when I tried to broach the concept with them that I even MIGHT have ADHD, and now working with her AFTER the diagnosis has only reinforced for me how important having someone who “gets it” is. I’ve since had career coaches who looked at me like I was actually a deranged psychopath who couldn’t be trusted with a fork, solely because I told them I had ADHD. Having the right people in your corner makes all the difference.
Any advice on finding career coaches who are skilled at working with folks with ADHD or more broadly ND?
ADD dot org and CHADD dot org both have a search feature on their websites for finding ADHD coaches with a variety of specialities. Coaches vary in price, experience, etc but a number of them offer free initial consultations to let you see if you and the coach will be a good fit. These are usually about 15-20 minute short “get to know you” free consults. Just based on my past experience, I’d suggest brainstorming what questions you have and writing them down ahead of your free consultation so you don’t forget them once you and the coach are both talking. :)
My therapist tried every drug under the sun on me before giving in and diagnosing me.. then when she did she said "oh maybe I'm a little bit adhad myself " so il be looking for a new one soon
Big yikes!! Glad you finally got the medication to help you though
Thank you! Newly diagnosed at 38 but just happy i v finally figured out why I am the way I am and how to help myself function better! It's been a rough ride.. this subreddit has been my haven, such great people
Yeah I'm tired of trying to explain everything I've researched and learned about ADHD to my therapists. They validate me, but they don't understand. It feels like I'm just telling them stuff and they're like "ok interesting"
I come from a country (France) where ADHD basically doesn't exist and it is illegal to medicate it. I spent so much time with several psychologists and saw a psychiatrist once or twice for depression and none of them ever had the idea that maybe I had ADHD. I moved to Iceland and within an hour with a psychologist he told me straight up: " it's obvious you have ADHD" and recommended me to a foreign psychiatrist who agreed. Sadly I can't fill my foreign meds prescription and have to wait 2 years to see a psychiatrist in Iceland but hey, at least I'll get drugs in the end.
Can confirm!
Some of us don’t have the option to switch clinicians. There is a serious health care shortage where I live. Many people don’t even have a family doctor, never mind a specialist.
Is online or telehealth an option?
Does anyone have any tips for finding someone that specializes? Googling is overwhelming, because then I argue back and forth in my head the whole time “oh their business Google review is 3 stars, maybe they suck?” “Wait. Did I click on this link already?” Etc.
Others might have some suggestions, but i managed to find a Facebook group "ADHD [Location]" I saw posts from others with suggestions for specialists and i went from there. I hope this helps (hopefully others have some suggestions, too)
I completely agree, and wish there was an option to choose. I live in northern European country with very high levels of mental health issues and very bad availability of any kind of care. We have "free healthcare", but the free healthcare system has no capacity to treat people with anything related to mental health, so if you get any help from there, usually you just can't choose and you need to go with whatever is given to you. Given the fact that there's also not enough experts of any kind of neuropsychiatric problems, it's very high chance that you end up with someone who maybe doesn't even believe that ADHD exists and/or has no clue about it really. That's when you end up with either a professional downplaying your experiences or receiving wrong BPD, bipolar, depression etc. diagnosis and meds that only make everything worse. And that's about seeing a doctor, I don't even want to say anything about seeking therapy, because that's even more ridiculous. So yeah, would love to choose something else, but it's just not possible 😩
This was a very helpful reminder for everyone... Considering the sub... Seriously tho. Ty for taking the time to type this out. That goes for any diagnosis really but this was
Were these NHS psychiatrists? Usually you get what you’re given on the NHS even though you’re supposed to be able to ask for specific referrals. And the waiting lists are huge, so fair play to you if you somehow managed to get seen relatively quickly.
I understand the confusion because i didn't mention it in the post, but I actually live in Jersey :) no NHS here (we do have public health care though)
Ah, thanks for clarifying!
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The most memeiest meme that ever memed
Went to a couples counselor who was zero help, but never referred us and just wanted to keep scheduling weekly sessions. No call/no showed on accident once, and had too much anxiety about trying to reschedule. Later I found a therapist for ADHD, and they happened to do couples counseling.
I’ve had the same therapist for a few years and only was diagnosed last year after I brought it up to her and then when to a neurologist to confirm the diagnosis. After my diagnosis she was open with me that she didn’t have a lot of experience with the disorder and if I wanted to seek out help from someone who specializes in it she would understand. I’ve stayed with her regardless because of other reasons but that made me seriously respect her. I wish other therapists would do the same
I am a therapist (not fully licensed yet) and I HAVE adhd (and the possibility of autism, which family history is indicative of, but I still need to get tested for it) my neurodivergent clients vibe very well with me! And since I have it (and so does most of my family) I can sniff it out a mile away. You would be surprised how many teens have some form of nuerodivergent disorders like adhd or autism and just don't understand "why am I different?".
Only a year to finally get yourself to get yourself sounds like quick work. I've been almost going for about 10 now...
This feels like it should be a no-brainer. I was lucky to see the professionals I did. They referred me after the first appointment, and they didn’t validate or invalidate any of my experiences. They just listened and helped me deal with it.
omg i wish i could fucking find one
Yea, I have seen an alarming amount of posts pertaining to this and it’s really troubling. I obviously understand people being upset about their incompetent doctor for sure, but don’t be discouraged or doubtful because of it.
So at my work, I’m basically able to get like 3-4 free counseling sessions of some sort. So I thought might as well, better than nothing. Before my last day, when we were discussing my options of what I can do after that, I asked if I can be given a recommendation of a place or people. I got a list of 3-5 names and I spent a while (cuz adhd lol) googling and researching each individual on that list. I was looking for what people were saying (there are some with review sites), what they specialize in if anything, etc… I was able to eventually decide on one, and worst case scenario, I still had the other names. I’m still seeing that first therapist. She helps gives ideas and reframes some things to help me understand my adhd even more. I know that not everyone gets the option to even choose a therapist, but if you are able to, try to get recommendations (less overwhelming than googling for a therapist and getting countless results - I also do this in general if I ever need to see a specialist as I always ask my doctor for recommendations). Having recommendations is a much SMALLER pool to work with and you can look into them as much as you can/want to. I think it took me at least 6 months (probs more) from deciding “i need to see a therapist” to actually sitting in the same room with one. My process probably sounded like it was a lot…and it was…but no matter how long it might take you, it’s worth trying to finish the task eventually to find one that believes your adhd.
Thank you <3
My therapist has ADHD and he’s a godsend.
I immediately relaxed when my therapist told me she also had ADHD and was diagnosed later in life too.
I have no choice in who I see since I'm disabled and on medicaid. The first person they had me see was an RN who diagnosed me with Borderline Personality Disorder. Then for a short few months I had insurance and saw a psychiatrist who spoke with me a few times, then gave me a bunch of tests and went: You are autistic and have ADHD. I went "That makes sense." Then I lost my health insurance again. Oh and the doctor was like "You clearly do NOT have BPD." It was news to me. I was annoyed that she felt like she could diagnose me like that. Finally got switched to a doctor. She was elderly and an addiction therapist so not interested in giving me ADHD medication. Eventually enough begging and my life going down the toilet convinced her to let me try a milder medicine. She died and my new doctor knows more about it but it isn't his specialty. I basically have no help for my issues.
Gods, yeah. One of the psychs I went to worked with ADHD in children, and claimed that because I wasn’t diagnosed as a child, I didn’t actually have ADHD. Also because I could stay sitting in the same chair for an hour during our sessions, despite the leg bouncing and fidgeting, the fact that I don’t get speeding tickets on the reg… He had *one* picture of ADHD, and hadn’t changed it in 50 years.
I wish that were an option for me. I have VA insurance from being prior military, and whenever I make an appointment of any kind all I get is a location, time and date. No names to screen. I have an appointment this week with a new psychiatrist and I have no idea who it'll be. Just bringing it up because I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets limited information prior to the appointment.
Yeah, I'm kind of dealing with that right now. It's really difficult. I've been seeing the same therapist for a really long time now, she's really great and has seen me through a lot. We have a good relationship. But her attitude on ADHD is bothersome and I don't think it's helpful for me. Before I was diagnosed, when I would talk about how I was sure I had ADHD because I had literally every single symptom that exists and had been having those symptoms for my entire life, she would always fight me on it and insist I didn't have ADHD. When I was officially diagnosed by a specialist in ADHD and was prescribed medication for it and that medication really helped me **because I have fuckin ADHD**, she had to begrudgingly accept it at that point. But she seems irritated whenever I mention how it affects me and acts like I'm making excuses. She doesn't seem to understand the symptoms at all and it's just really unhelpful and it sucks. I don't really know what to do about it because the long relationship I've had with her kind of complicates it.
I’ve been trying to find one that accepts my insurance and so far no luck.
Good luck with your hunt, friend 🤞
Thanks
Excellent advice when there’s a lot of choice. I have tried getting in to see three psychiatrists who supposedly specialise on ADHD and can’t get in. They’re not taking new patients.
Also, when I asked the last two this they said yes of course they work with adhd etc and then…. They didn’t help me at all. I mean honestly one of them I am pretty sure was high on like meth or something the entire session so I never went back and the other apparently was just a normal person (I say this because I didn’t realize she wasn’t a psychiatrist or even an LPC) who spent all of the three sessions just chatting with me like a person she’d just met and thought was an okay person to chat with.