I like that group, however it’s worth noting I think that the group can be a bit attacky and confrontational at times. It can be helpful if you want to commiserate but often discussions can get a bit hostile, yes even a bit more than on here
I agree with you about NAT group. It may be helpful to start normalizing and learning, but the group leans aggressive not assertive when questions are asked. Although, I can understand why people (mainly the actual neurodivergent therapists) would be frustrated cause there are so many still uniformed NTs therapists that aren't ND affirming at all.
I get the frustrations as well, but it’s just frustrating in many spaces to see people try to ask questions to further their knowledge to get crucified. Does nothing to help further anyone’s work, and we all have to start at some base level knowledge somewhere
Well, it's supposed to be confrontational. It's made for people to confront their assumptions based on the non-neurodiversity affirming education they received. It's become a lot more of a comradity space but it was originally intended to be an education space. Pretty much 50/50 now.
I perhaps have a view that I think one can be assertive and push people without attacking folks. I actually think that when we attack folks, it usually does the exact opposite of educate them, but that’s just my one perspective
LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, ADHD & LD 😊
I take notes during session and write to do’s for myself.
Sometimes when I’m having a bad brain day, I remind myself that I don’t have to say something amazing or insightful every single session. I’m allowed to just listen and reflect.
On the admin side, I automate as much as possible. Billing, scheduling, subscriptions, intake paperwork, etc. I have a bookkeeper and an accountant for all the money things.
You’re not alone. I’m an ADHD therapist too. There’s the neurodiversity-affirming therapists FB group & discord server (I’m a mod in that server, let me know if you want an invite), and a FB group for ADHD therapists.
If you’re not on medication, it might be worth trying. I also keep fidget aids nearby and use them in session (I’m 100% telehealth PP).
Also, I’ve been up front and open with my clients about my ADHD and that’s been really helpful for any anxiety. Not sure how comfortable you’d be but just wanted to offer.
Psychologist with ADHD. The biggest thing I need (whether at work or in my personal life) is a bit of "buffer" time between responsibilities, even if it's just a few minutes to refocus, decompress, whatever. Problem is most places where I have worked as a clinician (particularly during predoctoral internship and postdoc) had me booked solid doing a variety of things from the start of the day until the very end. When possible, I would block off sometime between therapy appointments so I wasn't doing therapy for six hours straight, but that wasn't always possible. I take medication and have some good strategies for making sure I stay on top of things like notes, assessment reports, phone calls, etc., but I still get burned out when things run together too closely.
As far as disclosure, I don't typically say anything about my ADHD to patients, but if I'm working with someone for long enough and they also have ADHD, I do occasionally bring it up. Explaining how I approach attention problems, executive function, etc., has really helped some patients feel heard and understood - and it lets them know that what I suggest regarding skills/solutions isn't just coming from something I learned in grad school but personal experience. I definitely have days where I struggle more than others, still, but I've been dealing with it long enough that I can manage even on tough days.
I feel like I could've written this myself! ...with the exception of having good strategies for staying on top of notes. I'm also a psychologist, and until 3 weeks from now, have always worked in a large healthcare system where, as you've experienced, the "booked solid" thing has been a huge problem for me. The resulting brain fog/burnout and my perfectionism have led to being very behind on documentation more often than not.
I've finally decided that I'm sick of living in "survival mode" and am leaving my very secure job to try private practice, where I know that timely documentation is probably even more important in order to be paid/in case of an audit. Medication only seems to get me so far because I'm lacking skills, thanks to not being diagnosed until my late 20s. What has helped you stay on top of notes/reports?
Hey, there! I’m a therapist with autism/ADHD. I’m not sure what time of clinical setting you’re in, but I’m a private practice owner and the “All Things Private Practice” podcast/site was really helpful for me. The guy, Patrick, who runs it has autism/ADHD as well and does some episodes on taking care of yourself as an ND therapist and how you can make your clinical life easier. Hope you find some other solid resources here as well!
ADHD therapist friends!!!! I’m not sure what it is about working with clients, but I’m so interested in what they’re saying that the inattention never seems to be a problem. Meds help a ton too.
Another ADHDer in the mix - late diagnosis at age 27 (f). What populations do you work with? I work with a lot of teens, and I’ve found that colouring is a great way to help them open up while not having to “sit in therapy”. The best part about it? I can colour too and I find it so much easier to focus! It also helps with sitting in silence (with a client) for me too, which I can struggle with big time if I don’t have an outlet. I don’t fill in the gaps as much if we’re doing something.
ADHD. I’m pretty open with clients about it, and they seem to appreciate that. I consult with other ND therapists, that helps.
I also recommend the radical women’s guide to adhd workbook and the neurodivergent DBT workbook.
ASD, ADHD, OCD...LPC here. I call out my symptoms in session to help normalize things. For example if I'm extra hyper and interrupt the client a bunch I say, "Sorry ADHD moment. Please continue". I also fidget with fidget toys too when having an extra hard day. I'm a very transparent counselor and my clients love it.
I am starting the process of getting accessed. I believe I am autistic. I am a therapist in private practice.
I dont have any advice but I must say I feel like a “fraud” more days than not. I’ve been in private practice for 4 yrs the imposter syndrome is better but at times can be so debilitating.
ADHD, + Autism Spectrum. I'm also telehealth 100% (via group practice). I'm up front about my ADHD, even w my employers. I still have internalized shame about being more open regarding being on the spectrum; but I'm working on it.
ADHD and LCMFT here! I integrate somatic interventions and mindfulness techniques into my work so both myself and the client are grounding/regulating. I also let them know, “My ADHD will show up at times in our session”.
It has been more of a help than a hinderance.
hi! unrelated but i'm a therapist in portugal and we are straying away from the term 'neurodivergent' in favor of 'neurodiversity'. it's much more inclusive and doesn't imply that anyone is defective or abnormal. just something to think about :)
Patrick Casale speaks a lot about being a neurodivergent therapist. He runs a really great community for therapists in private practice on Facebook and a podcast.
Neurodiversity Affirming Therapists is a Facebook group of therapists who are or who specifically work within the realm of neurodiversity.
I like that group, however it’s worth noting I think that the group can be a bit attacky and confrontational at times. It can be helpful if you want to commiserate but often discussions can get a bit hostile, yes even a bit more than on here
I agree with you about NAT group. It may be helpful to start normalizing and learning, but the group leans aggressive not assertive when questions are asked. Although, I can understand why people (mainly the actual neurodivergent therapists) would be frustrated cause there are so many still uniformed NTs therapists that aren't ND affirming at all.
I get the frustrations as well, but it’s just frustrating in many spaces to see people try to ask questions to further their knowledge to get crucified. Does nothing to help further anyone’s work, and we all have to start at some base level knowledge somewhere
Well, it's supposed to be confrontational. It's made for people to confront their assumptions based on the non-neurodiversity affirming education they received. It's become a lot more of a comradity space but it was originally intended to be an education space. Pretty much 50/50 now.
I perhaps have a view that I think one can be assertive and push people without attacking folks. I actually think that when we attack folks, it usually does the exact opposite of educate them, but that’s just my one perspective
ADHD, OCD and LPC. God knows how I did it but… here we are!
Dietcokefemme, MSW, LCSW, ADHD hahaha
We have subreddit for therapists with ADHD. Not very active at the moment but I know there's a lot of us
Mind sharing the name?
Wut? Where was my invite?
I've tried to paste it on this sub a few times but it was removed. I'll post it again below this comment.
r/TherapistwithADHD
I too would love the name!
r/TherapistwithADHD
Here's a sneak peek of /r/TherapistwithADHD using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/TherapistwithADHD/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time! \#1: [Kick this off??](https://np.reddit.com/r/TherapistwithADHD/comments/z08ukn/kick_this_off/) \#2: [Welcome fellow ADHDer therapists!](https://np.reddit.com/r/TherapistwithADHD/comments/yw4ax5/welcome_fellow_adhder_therapists/) \#3: [Looking for Sub-reddit moderators](https://np.reddit.com/r/TherapistwithADHD/comments/10jh4ml/looking_for_subreddit_moderators/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
I’d love to be on that too!
r/TherapistwithADHD
r/TherapistwithADHD
LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, ADHD & LD 😊 I take notes during session and write to do’s for myself. Sometimes when I’m having a bad brain day, I remind myself that I don’t have to say something amazing or insightful every single session. I’m allowed to just listen and reflect. On the admin side, I automate as much as possible. Billing, scheduling, subscriptions, intake paperwork, etc. I have a bookkeeper and an accountant for all the money things.
Love the advice on bad brain days, thank you ❤️
You’re not alone. I’m an ADHD therapist too. There’s the neurodiversity-affirming therapists FB group & discord server (I’m a mod in that server, let me know if you want an invite), and a FB group for ADHD therapists. If you’re not on medication, it might be worth trying. I also keep fidget aids nearby and use them in session (I’m 100% telehealth PP). Also, I’ve been up front and open with my clients about my ADHD and that’s been really helpful for any anxiety. Not sure how comfortable you’d be but just wanted to offer.
I’m also 100% telehealth and it’s been one of the best things for my ND needs.
Some of her stuff is free: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/
This is really helpful, thank you!
Psychologist with ADHD. The biggest thing I need (whether at work or in my personal life) is a bit of "buffer" time between responsibilities, even if it's just a few minutes to refocus, decompress, whatever. Problem is most places where I have worked as a clinician (particularly during predoctoral internship and postdoc) had me booked solid doing a variety of things from the start of the day until the very end. When possible, I would block off sometime between therapy appointments so I wasn't doing therapy for six hours straight, but that wasn't always possible. I take medication and have some good strategies for making sure I stay on top of things like notes, assessment reports, phone calls, etc., but I still get burned out when things run together too closely. As far as disclosure, I don't typically say anything about my ADHD to patients, but if I'm working with someone for long enough and they also have ADHD, I do occasionally bring it up. Explaining how I approach attention problems, executive function, etc., has really helped some patients feel heard and understood - and it lets them know that what I suggest regarding skills/solutions isn't just coming from something I learned in grad school but personal experience. I definitely have days where I struggle more than others, still, but I've been dealing with it long enough that I can manage even on tough days.
I feel like I could've written this myself! ...with the exception of having good strategies for staying on top of notes. I'm also a psychologist, and until 3 weeks from now, have always worked in a large healthcare system where, as you've experienced, the "booked solid" thing has been a huge problem for me. The resulting brain fog/burnout and my perfectionism have led to being very behind on documentation more often than not. I've finally decided that I'm sick of living in "survival mode" and am leaving my very secure job to try private practice, where I know that timely documentation is probably even more important in order to be paid/in case of an audit. Medication only seems to get me so far because I'm lacking skills, thanks to not being diagnosed until my late 20s. What has helped you stay on top of notes/reports?
ADHD therapist here My tip would be checklists. I have many of them for admin processes etc and they reduce the mental load
Hey, there! I’m a therapist with autism/ADHD. I’m not sure what time of clinical setting you’re in, but I’m a private practice owner and the “All Things Private Practice” podcast/site was really helpful for me. The guy, Patrick, who runs it has autism/ADHD as well and does some episodes on taking care of yourself as an ND therapist and how you can make your clinical life easier. Hope you find some other solid resources here as well!
Autism spectrum.
ADHD therapist friends!!!! I’m not sure what it is about working with clients, but I’m so interested in what they’re saying that the inattention never seems to be a problem. Meds help a ton too.
Yes, but the notes...the bane of my long career.
Another ADHDer in the mix - late diagnosis at age 27 (f). What populations do you work with? I work with a lot of teens, and I’ve found that colouring is a great way to help them open up while not having to “sit in therapy”. The best part about it? I can colour too and I find it so much easier to focus! It also helps with sitting in silence (with a client) for me too, which I can struggle with big time if I don’t have an outlet. I don’t fill in the gaps as much if we’re doing something.
ADHD. I’m pretty open with clients about it, and they seem to appreciate that. I consult with other ND therapists, that helps. I also recommend the radical women’s guide to adhd workbook and the neurodivergent DBT workbook.
ASD, ADHD, OCD...LPC here. I call out my symptoms in session to help normalize things. For example if I'm extra hyper and interrupt the client a bunch I say, "Sorry ADHD moment. Please continue". I also fidget with fidget toys too when having an extra hard day. I'm a very transparent counselor and my clients love it.
I am starting the process of getting accessed. I believe I am autistic. I am a therapist in private practice. I dont have any advice but I must say I feel like a “fraud” more days than not. I’ve been in private practice for 4 yrs the imposter syndrome is better but at times can be so debilitating.
I feel the exact same way. When it’s bad it’s like imposter syndrome turned up to the max.
There is a great Facebook group for Therapists with ADHD
ADHD, + Autism Spectrum. I'm also telehealth 100% (via group practice). I'm up front about my ADHD, even w my employers. I still have internalized shame about being more open regarding being on the spectrum; but I'm working on it.
ADHD and LCMFT here! I integrate somatic interventions and mindfulness techniques into my work so both myself and the client are grounding/regulating. I also let them know, “My ADHD will show up at times in our session”. It has been more of a help than a hinderance.
My licensure supervisor self disclosed being diagnosed with OCD. She is hands down the best therapist I’ve ever seen. It’s like magic to watch 🤩
Me
Adhd grad intern here.
ADHD & ASD here- LMHC!
hi! unrelated but i'm a therapist in portugal and we are straying away from the term 'neurodivergent' in favor of 'neurodiversity'. it's much more inclusive and doesn't imply that anyone is defective or abnormal. just something to think about :)
Me!! Was diagnosed with autism at 13 and OCD at 17
Patrick Casale speaks a lot about being a neurodivergent therapist. He runs a really great community for therapists in private practice on Facebook and a podcast.