Career Advice?

[Bandini]

I am a clinician and supervisor working in the community mental health field. Due to ADHD, I simultaneously feel like I have lots of natural talent and ability but also will never make it very far in my career. I struggle with interpersonal issues and difficulty with emotional regulation:

Any general advice?

What are some good career choices (If I had my way, I'd be a full time artist/student, but that doesn't exactly pay the bills)?

Anybody have reasonable accommodations at work? I'd love to hear what people find most helpful.

[Birdwatcher19]

Hi there and welcome. Fellow clinician in community mental health here. I’m also finding that I’m struggling in this field (a mid-life career change for me), though my struggles are mostly related to the paperwork involved. Do you take medication for your ADHD? I find that it helps me greatly with emotional regulation. What about a move to private practice?

[Bandini in reply to Birdwatcher19]

Hi there. The paperwork can be daunting, even for those who do not have an ADHD diagnosis. I love working in community mental health specifically and know that I would not be as happy in private practice. But I do enjoy teaching and supervising, so I'm thinking of ways to make more room for that in my professional life.

[Birdwatcher19 in reply to Bandini]

What about an adjunct position teaching art therapy students?

[Love-cats in reply to Bandini]

This is quite an interesting thread...I have had a late in life career change as well into... yep mental health (specifically social work)

First job out of school at community mental health center

Resigned after 6 months b/c I hated it!

Primarily b/c 2/3 of job involved computer and following up on no-shows, whereas 1/3 actually face-to-face with clients

Sounds

Wasn’t diagnosed until about 2 months ago so didn’t even know I had ADHD while I had that job.

Sounds like we’ve had remarkably similar experiences...

[JW621]

I do as well but I’m not a clinician

[F_RN_Dx_at_39]

Find a good Psychiatrist. On my first visit he recommended I see a neuropsychologist for evaluation for a writing disability, possibly related to dyslexia, which could explain why I have such great difficulty with charting, much more so than my colleagues.

[ThisIsLife]

I wish i knew. I have the same struggle. Changed into HR almost 10 years ago and I'm still in entry level positions. Tired of starting over and over again. Everything feels too intense and hard. Meds are not really helping.

[DSAS]

I'm a former teacher and had similar experiences. Found myself wishing I was an artist. Have been working construction the last few years. Then YESTERDAY got diagnosed with ADHD. It all makes sense. Problem is my interpersonal relationships with bosses killed my references. I'm now looking to a. Get on meds, b. Start DBT, c. Continue with my normal therapist, and d. Work my 12 step Marijuana Anonymous program. Seems I was self medicating my whole life. I don't have advice other than don't wait as long as I did to take it seriously. I have too much talent to quit on myself. You do too it seems.

[OTBrain]

Trust yourself! I am an occupational therapist. I've been working with individuals with ADHD for 15 years and was just diagnosed. I literally couldn't believe I missed the signs in myself for all these years because I use a TON of the strategies that I teach my clients... but I digress. The point is that your ADHD can be your superpower. Yes, it makes paperwork and billing sooooooo hard (this is an ongoing battle for me), but it also gives us great insight. We ADHDers think outside the box, we see things others miss, and we can relate to others with neurodiversity on a super special level. Maybe ask your psychiatrist or therapist for a referral to a good OT that specializes in ADHD? If you like what you do, don't give up on it! Recongize this insecurity as a symptom and keep fighting! You are stronger than you think!

[28560Life in reply to OTBrain]

Seeing an OT, that makes soooo much sense!!