Where to find qualified recommendations for a therapist (not someone for medication management)

[readingrunningmama]

How do you go about finding a good therapist near us who knows ADHD and can work with our son as well as us to implement behavioral interventions? Our pediatrician is quick to treat with medication, but we need more support and don't know where to turn to find someone who will work with us on other issues. We are in suburban CT and have access to many healthcare providers.

[MaudQ]

You could ask your pediatrician for a recommendation. If there is a school counselor they could help. I have also found that more people than you think see therapists or their kids do - so if you feel comfortable you could ask around. CHADD or NAMI are good resources too. Good luck!

[anirush]

When I was looking for a therapist for my grand kids I got on Psychology Today's website and they had people in my area that they recommended. Found a great counselor that the boys will work with who does behavioral therapy.

[Aspen797]

I echo others here: Check out your local CHADD chapter. They usually have lists of providers that others have liked. Psychiatrists also have lists of preferred therapists for certain conditions (on their website even). If there is a particular therapy you are interested in, there is often certification requirements and you can look up individuals certified near you. If you're not sure of type of therapy, consider seeing a developmental behavioral pediatrician. They are often better suited to advise on therapy and medication for our kiddos.

[readingrunningmama]

Thank you all!

[SquashBug]

We are in the same boat. It's been a process, but it's been worth it. We had an independent comprehensive learning evaluation done at Children's Hospital for our son going into 6th grade. It was helpful to rule out more definitively that there was not a hearing or auditory processing issue, and to see if there were any specific learning disabilities, overlapping with the ADHD symptoms. They recommended us to seek out an ADHD coach. That has been a good support to us as parents for troubleshooting behaviors, and working with our son as another understanding ear, to help mediate and introduce solutions. Whether it's a therapist, or a coach, it's well worth your time to have interviews with a few to get a feel for who would be a good fit personality, as well as their focus on working with your age child specifically. I've had complimentary initial consults with quite a few. Now, more than ever there are more options for online therapy and coaching, which has made it even easier. I back up that suggestion of referencing the Psychology Today website. I also googled lists of interview questions and criteria to ask when finding a provider. It helped us find the best fit a lot easier than our previous attempts. More work on the front end, but worth it. Good luck.

[Mekadunc]

Hi, which ‘Children’s Hospital’ did you have learning evaluation done? I’m in Chicago and like others, am having a terrible time finding psychiatrist, psychologist and teen support group/education for my 13. Y.o.

I’m considering going to Boston Children’s Hospital to neurology department. Other options I’ve looked at are Texas Children’s, and Philadelphia. Also interested in Mayo or Cleveland Clinic. I have no idea where to pursue the best treatment and feel I’ve exhausted options here in IL.